Mayor Suarez: I leave behind a global city and a safer Miami | Opinion
As my second and final term as mayor comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on a journey that began 16 years ago when I first entered public service. Miami has always been more than a city to me. It has been my home, my responsibility and my inspiration. Serving the Magic City has been the honor of my lifetime.
When I became mayor, the question was not whether Miami could grow — but whether it could grow in a way that worked for everyone. From the beginning, our guiding principle was simple: Miami for everyone. Growth was not the goal in itself; opportunity was.
Growth that expanded opportunity
Miami has experienced extraordinary economic momentum. Our population grew by double digits in consecutive years as families and businesses chose Miami for its quality of life, entrepreneurial energy and low-tax environment. That growth expanded our tax base, allowing us to reduce city taxes to their lowest level in more than 50 years — without cutting services. By 2025, unemployment stood at 2.3%, well below the national average, and nearly $4 billion in new construction moved forward because of streamlined permitting and modernized city operations.
But growth only matters if it lifts people up. For three consecutive years, Miami led the nation in median wage growth. This was not an accident — it was the result of welcoming new industries while connecting Miamians to opportunity through workforce development, job training and education.
Education as the foundation of inclusion
If Miami is going to be for everyone, opportunity has to begin early. That is why we created child savings accounts for kindergarten students, giving every child an asset from the start and pairing it with financial literacy programs for parents. It was a statement of belief: Every child deserves a future worth investing in.
We partnered with Miami Dade College to launch tech-focused charter schools, opening doors to high-demand fields like engineering, cybersecurity and coding for public-school students across our city. And we broke new ground nationally by creating college scholarships for first-generation students who are Pell Grant recipients, including Pell-eligible students pursuing STEM degrees. For families sending a child to college for the first time, Miami didn’t just celebrate the milestone — we helped make it possible.
Housing, Safety and Stability
Affordability and housing have been defining challenges of our time. Through the Miami Forever Bond, voters entrusted us with $400 million to strengthen neighborhoods, expand affordable housing and build resilience against climate change. We committed more than $240 million toward affordable housing — the largest investment in city history — while leveraging private and philanthropic capital to multiply the impact of every public dollar.
Our “Miami for Everyone” housing reforms unlocked underutilized land and opportunity zones to increase supply for working families and communities of color. At the same time, unsheltered homelessness declined to its lowest level in more than a decade, according to the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust — proof that compassionate, coordinated solutions can work.
Public safety also reached historic highs. Miami is on the verge of recording the lowest homicide rate in its history, according to the Miami Police Department — a testament to our police officers, community partnerships and the belief that safety and opportunity go hand in hand.
A global city that still feels like home
Miami’s story is now global. In the years ahead, we will host the FIFA World Cup, open Miami Freedom Park and welcome the G20 Summit, placing Miami at the center of global diplomacy and economic leadership. Miami is no longer just participating in world events — we are hosting them.
Yet even as Miami’s profile rose, our focus remained local: neighborhoods, families and everyday quality of life.
Gratitude and looking ahead
None of this was accomplished alone. I am deeply grateful to my staff, to the more than 4,000 city of Miami employees who serve our residents every day, and to my colleagues who shared in this work. I am especially grateful to my wife, Gloria, and our children, Andrew and Gloriana, whose sacrifices made public service possible, and to my parents and sisters, whose guidance shaped me.
As I close this chapter, I do so with gratitude, humility and pride. Miami’s future has never been brighter — not because of any one leader, but because this city chose to believe in itself.
That belief — Miami for everyone — is the legacy I leave behind, and the promise I know this city will continue to keep.
Francis Suarez is the outgoing mayor of Miami and a former city commissioner.
This story was originally published December 15, 2025 at 12:25 PM.