Editorials

Herald recommends: District 12 voters must reject unfit candidate in Miami-Dade Commission race | Editorial

By the Miami Herald Editorial Board

Updated August 16, 2022 9:50 AM

Sophia Lacayo, a former Sweetwater commissioner, and Juan Carlos “JC” Bermudez, the mayor of Doral, are seeking the District 12 Miami-Dade County Commission seat in the Aug. 23, 2022, election. Miami Herald file photo

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In advance of local and state elections, the Editorial Board interviews political candidates to better understand their views on various issues and how their policies will affect their constituents. The goal is to give voters a better idea of who’s the best candidate for each race. Read our 2022 recommendations below:

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In the election for Miami-Dade County Commission District 12, voters will choose between the founding mayor of Doral and a former Sweetwater commissioner who pleaded guilty to lying. The choice should be a no-brainer.

District 12

Juan Carlos “J.C.” Bermudez, 60, was one of the civic leaders who pushed for the 2003 incorporation of Doral, then a warehouse district, into what’s now a burgeoning city. He served as mayor from its creation until he hit term limits in 2012. After sitting it out for four years, he was reelected in 2016.

Jose “Pepe” Diaz, the incumbent in District 12, has reached his term limit.

Bermudez, a lawyer, has a wealth of knowledge about local government. He’s the vice chair of the Miami-Dade County Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) and president of the Miami-Dade County League of Cities. His TPO experience comes handy in dealing with western Miami-Dade’s traffic issues. He’s well versed on the county’s SMART plan to increase public transportation routes, including an east-west corridor along State Road 836.

Bermudez said responsible growth is one of the main issues facing District 12, which has large swaths of western lands along the Everglades. He also gets that even though the district is far from the coast, it’s vulnerable to sea-level rise.

“Everybody thinks about Miami Beach only, when you’re talking about climate change,” Bermudez told the Herald Editorial Board. “We actually abut the northwest well fields, which are very important to the [drinking] water flow for the county and in District 12.”

He said he’s not against expanding the county’s Urban Development Boundary, which creates a buffer between urban development and environmental and rural lands, to accommodate more growth and affordable housing. But he said the county needs to plan how that’s going to happen instead of having a piecemeal approach. We were disappointed that Bermudez didn’t have a position on the highly publicized proposal before the County Commission to expand the UDB for an industrial park in South Dade that could hurt Biscayne Bay restoration. We had hoped for more assurance that he would stand up against unnecessary urban encroachment on the environment, especially when he has received thousands in campaign contributions from developers, real estate and construction companies, his campaign filings show.

Bermudez hasn’t been without detractors during his long political career. In 2015, the Doral City Council voted 4-1 to rename J.C. Bermudez park as Doral Central Park. The vote seemed to stem from his soured relationship with some council members. Bermudez called it a “game of politics” at the time.

Any controversy surrounding Bermudez pales in comparison to his opponent’s record.

Sophia Lacayo was arrested in 2020 on perjury charges that led to her resignation from the Sweetwater Commission after a year in office. Police said she lied about meeting the city’s two-year residency requirement for candidates by saying she was renting a room in the city. She pleaded guilty and was prohibited from running for public office during her one-year probation term. The Herald Editorial Board emailed, called and texted Lacayo several times to invite her for an interview, but she did not reply to accept our invitation.

Lacayo also tried to keep voters from accessing information about her perjury charges by asking a county judge to seal her case. She only backed off her request after the Herald reported on it.

Most recently, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava has threatened legal action against Lacayo over mailers that falsely suggest Levine Cava has endorsed her.

Courts issued about $350,000 in judgments against Lacayo Trade Group, the Doral company that owns her tax-preparation business, between 2016 and 2019, the Herald reported.

We question Lacayo’s character and fitness for elected office and worry she’s trying to outspend her opponent to distract voters from her troubling past. She has spent more than $875,000 of her own money or money from companies she owns, the Herald reported. Bermudez has raised about $875,000 from donors.

Because of his track record, civic involvement, knowledge of local government — and a perilously unqualified opponent — the Herald recommends J.C. BERMUDEZ for Miami-Dade Commission, District 12.

BEHIND THE STORY

Who decides the political endorsements?

In advance of local and state elections, Miami Herald Editorial Board members interview political candidates, as well as advocates and opponents of ballot measures. The Editorial Board is composed of experienced opinion journalists and is independent of the Herald’s newsroom. Members of the Miami Herald Editorial Board are: Amy Driscoll, editorial page editor; and editorial writers Isadora Rangel and Mary Anna Mancuso. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.

What does the endorsement process look like?

The Miami Herald Editorial Board interviews political candidates to better understand their views on public policy and how their policies will affect their constituents. Board members do additional reporting and research to learn as much as possible about the candidates before making an endorsement. The Editorial Board then convenes to discuss the candidates in each race. Board members seek to reach a consensus on the endorsements, but not every decision is unanimous. Candidates who decline to be interviewed will not receive an endorsement.

Is the Editorial Board partisan?

No. In making endorsements, members of the Editorial Board consider which candidates are better prepared to represent their constituents — not whether they agree with our editorial stances or belong to a particular political party. We evaluate candidates’ relevant experience, readiness for office, depth of knowledge of key issues and understanding of public policy. We’re seeking candidates who are thoughtful and who offer more than just party-line talking points.

This story was originally published July 28, 2022 at 9:01 AM.