Our recommendation for Coral Gables Group Two has a solid track record of civic involvement | Editorial

The race for Coral Gables Commission Group Two is a crowded field with six candidates. They all want to curb development that’s not in keeping with the city’s smaller-scale and livable character and they all had ideas about revitalizing Miracle Mile and bringing new businesses to the stagnant corridor.

None of them has ever held public office, so the Herald’s Editorial Board looked closely at their involvement with the city as citizens as well as their vision for the future.

Rhonda Anderson, 61, an attorney and activist, is a 33-year resident with a long resume of service to preserve Coral Gables’ quality of life.

Jose Valdes-Fauli, 69, a retired banker and LGBTQ advocate, is the brother of Coral Gables’ outgoing mayor, Raul Valdes-Fauli. He said the city needs someone with his financial background to help the city navigate budget shortfalls created by the pandemic. He’s a former CEO and president of four local banks.

He would likely keep the city’s expenditures in check, but we disagree with his stance on reviving Miracle Mile. He said, “I don’t think the city should get involved” and that should be a matter that’s worked out between private property owners and tenants. We believe the city could risk further degradation by leaving this issue up to the free market.

Tania Cruz-Gimenez, 45, an attorney, is the daughter-in-law of former Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, now a congressman. She has lived in North Gables for 14 years and said she was inspired to run by the pandemic’s “crippling impact” on the city and its lack of a “holistic vision to revitalize our downtown corridor,” adding “it’s been a number of developers that have been driving it.” She talked about increasing modes of transportation and tree canopies.

Alexander Haq is the youngest of candidates at 24 and a University of Miami graduate. His platform focuses on sustainability. He said he would like Coral Gables to become “carbon neutral at some point in the future.” Haq has raised the least amount of money in the race.

Mayra Joli, 55, is an immigration attorney best known for going viral when she appeared on camera waving in support of former President Trump while sitting behind him during a town hall in Miami last year. Joli’s candidness was refreshing, but, at times, worrisome. When asked about civility on the commission dais, she responded, “I don’t promise that I’m going to be civilized.”

She’s also misinformed, at least about sea-level rise. She said the city should stop overdevelopment because, “Maybe that’s going to make the land heavier, and the sea levels are going to be going up.” (The cause of sea-level rise is climate change, not that buildings weigh a lot.).

Claudia Miro, 45, works for Miami-Dade Public Library system. She touts her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in public administration and 20 years working in the public sector. She’s been a spokeswoman for four government agencies and worked for elected officials in the past, including former Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff.

Miro, a North Gables resident, is clearly passionate about connecting City Hall with residents. One of her flagship issues is transparency, because many citizens feel they are left out of the decision-making process. One example she cited was the WaWa gas station planned across the street from GW Carver Elementary School that caught many parents and teachers by surprise. She also wants to expand the city’s fire rescue to serve its growing population.

She said she would like to have alternative times for City Commission meetings so working residents can attend. She would like to get rid of the use of government acronyms during discussions for the dais that are confusing people.

Miro would likely be a strong voice for residents on the commission. We encourage her to stay engaged and dive deeper into city issues.

Rhonda Anderson is the Editorial Board’s choice in this race. She has been consistently engaged in civic affairs. She was one of the founders 16 years ago of the LeJeune Segovia Neighborhood Association, created to address increased traffic from construction in the surrounding area. She says that through her efforts, crosswalks and traffic circles were installed, as well as a tree-lined median along the section of Segovia between Bird Road and Valencia. Her list of accomplishments also includes successfully pushing for a decrease in the number of residential units at the Villa Valencia project under construction from 103 apartments to 39 luxury condominium units.

Anderson also understands how City Hall works, having served on the Coral Gables Public Safety Commission, Sustainability Advisory Board and Planning and Zoning Board.

She said the city needs to take better care of Miracle Mile because, not only are there so many empty storefronts, they are also dirty. She’s in favor of height limitations on the Mile and is against a requirement that development in other parts of the city must include a retail component, which she blames for empty storefronts. She added the city must adapt to a changing retail landscape that calls for smaller spaces.

One of her priorities is getting the city ready for sea-level rise.

“Why do we still allow underground parking to be put into new buildings?” she told the Editorial Board. “We’re not planning forward for what’s coming. And we need to be building these buildings, you know, for 50 years from now, not for the next five years.”

But, in the end, given her years of experience, her record of activism and knowledge about the city, the Miami Herald Editorial Board recommends RHONDA ANDERSON for Coral Gables Commission Group Two.

This story was originally published March 31, 2021 at 5:53 PM.