Pedro Garcia files for his old job to replace Carlos Lopez Cantera

Pedro Garcia files for his old job to replace Carlos Lopez Cantera
  • Sumo

Well, that was fast.

Former Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia was the first one out the gate to file documents that show he will run for the job he was ousted from by the new PropApp Carlos “C-Lo” Lopez-Cantera, who was tapped last week by Gov. Rick Scott to become Lieutenant Governor.

Garcia lost to CLC, who was termed out of office in the State House, in 2012 — with absentee ballots.  Garcia, who is a professional property appraiser and lives in Westchester, won on election day and in early voting, but C-Lo had Absentee Ballot Queen Sasha Tirador, which means he had an advantage.

He swore last week he would run again and filed Friday, naming Steven Dawson as his treasurer.

Friends say that Lopez-Cantera, who was going after fraud aggressively and suing the county in court, was not happy with the new post. It was, um, different than what the former House majority leader was used to.

Meanwhile, Garcia, apparently, misses it too much. Friends say he has not felt whole without the job.

But if Garcia thinks he’s going to take it unopposed, he has another thing coming. This could be a crowded field. A source very close to Miami-Dade Commissioner Juan Zapata says he is seriously mulling over the move.

Alex Dominguez, who ran unsuccessfully for State House in 2012, losingt he primary to State Rep. Jose Javier R odriguez, and for city commissioner last year, losing to Miami Commissioner Frank Carollo filed Tuesday. You know, because his losses can only mean he’d do better in a countywide race, right?

Maybe Dominguez believes he old saying: The third time is the charm.

“If property owners don’t want someone who artificially inflated property values, I give people a choice,” said Dominguez, who would not have run against CLC.

“I’m a Democrat, but I gotta give credit where credit is due. This guy did a great job while he was here. The website is friendlier. He went after the Homestead exemptions cheats,” Dominguez said, hinting a potential focus of his campaign.

“In just a year, he exposed all he deficiencies this guy had. And now he wants to come back?”

Stay tuned.  Ladra has a feeling more candidates will come out of the woodwork.

11 Responses to "Pedro Garcia files for his old job to replace Carlos Lopez Cantera"

  1. Honesty, Artiles is only known in his district. Get him out of there he is a fish out of water. Not to mention all the crap he brings along.

  2. He can’t even be honest about where he lives serving in the legislature. and he wants to be property appraiser? I think Ladra calls him socks for a reason?

  3. No way on Shiver. Too much baggage with his dity dealings in homestead. Rather vote for Garcia or Dominguez.

  4. I hear through the real estate grapevine that Steve Shiver former County Manager and Mayor is running. He has been a licensed broker and real estate appraiser as well as government hack for to many years to count. He is republican and can raise money. He would be the one to watch.

  5. Dang, you are right, Facts. Sasha worked for CLC in his state House races… makes you wonder, though, doesn’t it? If she was REALLY working for Garcia?

    Sabotage, anyone?

    Think I will stand by my original statement.

    Love, Ladra

  6. Check your facts Ladra. In the Property Appraiser race the one that paid Sasha was Pedro Garcia not CLC. Look at the corporations and their directors. See Garcia’s report expenditure on 7/15/12 to G&R Strategies for $5,000

  7. Should be an interesting race if Zapata joins the mix. We would have an old guard cuban( Garcia), a Colombian (Zapata), and American born from Argentine parents (Dominguez) running in our diverse county. All we need is an Anglo to throw in there as well. Maybe someone like Marc Sarnoff. thoughts anyone?

  8. Homestead exemption fraud represents serious revenue losses. Nothing useful has been done since at least 1991 until this past year under C-Lo.

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