With less than two weeks left before qualifying, a third candidate has filed to run against 
Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola.
Stephen Cohen, a real estate investor specializing in the South Beach luxury condo market, on Tuesday joined Raquel Pacheco, a retired soldier, business owner and PTA mom, and Jonathan Welsh, a healthcare marketing executive, in the race to unseat Arriola. He announced it on Facebook:
“Yesterday, I filed to run for Miami Beach Commission, Group 5. To best explain why I am running, I wanted to share a childhood story. It was my Elementary school play (Care Bears), when Mrs. Garfield said, ‘whether you are the lead actor of the play or just
have one line – to your parents, you are the star.’ Whether you are a Billionaire Developer or a millennial that just moved to Miami Beach, you are a Star to me.
“It’s time for Miami Beach government to treat every resident equally with transparency, accountability, and decency. Stay tuned, I am going to show the world inner workings of campaigns, politics, and local government. Let’s learn what’s wrong with our system. So we can fix it together.”
Cohen could have run in one of the other two commission seats that are technically open seats (although one could argue that Kristen Rosen Gonzalez is a defacto incumbent). But he feels Arriola is not representing.
Read related: Two newbies challenge incumbent Ricky Arriola in Miami Beach
“Ricky Arriola is out of touch with residents. He only cares about special interests that will fill his war chest,” Cohen told Ladra in a text message. “I will fund my own campaign to win. I will work harder than anyone and have the community behind me.”
Grant Stern, a Miami activist and political podcaster with a mortgage company, said that Cohen “is a serious candidate on the issues and has a strong social media following in the Miami Beach FB groups.”
Arriola is vulnerable. Metio el pie en la boca when he traveled to Cuba with former Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine — becoming the first elected officials from the 305 to visit the island in 50 years — and came back promoting a Miami Beach consulate office for the Castro regime. He has since become the biggest champion of over development on North Beach. Noted, he has been far less flashy or energetic since h
is BFF Levine left office to run for governor.
Read related: Miami Beach mayor invites Castros to open Cuban consulate
And the lack of enthusiasm for his continued “public service” is evident in the fact that he has been forced to loan himself $100K for his campaign account so he can have a semi-respectable $159,500, according to the latest finance reports. An incumbent who has done a good job should be able to raise more.
Mayor Dan Gelber, the other incumbent on the ballot, has raised $196,000 in almost the exact same amount of time.
Neither of the other two candidates in the Group 5 contest have broken $5,000, which is about what Arriola has spent.
Qualifying ends on Sept. 6 for the Nov. 5 election.
Ricky Arriola draws 3rd challenge in Miami Beach commission race added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
Rosen Gonzalez needs to lose, she’s goofy and doesn’t follow instructions.
[…] Fuente: Political Cortadito […]
Don’t forget Arriola’s ill conceived and fundamentally flawed Ocean Drive Ten Point Plan admittedly crafted by Mangos and the Clevelander. The city has been suffering a $25 Million net loss annually in entertainment district operation costs only to enrich and subsidize these obnoxiously loud businesses which continue to attract a Spring Break clientele all year long. It’s time to get this fool (including Mayor Gelber) out of office! They’ve wasted enough of our money!
Ricky Arriola is mean-spirited, rude, and insulting to local Miami Beach residents. He calls residents bad names when they don’t agree with his “special interest” driven agenda. Our city has over $1.5B in added debt bc of Ricky Arriola. The era of Pay2Play politics has to end. Stephen Cohen lives in North Beach. He’s brilliant. He’s successful of his own making. He is respectful. We need Stephen Cohen.
As a resident of MB i am excited by what Stephen Cohen brings to the table. His motives are all about residents and small businesses that are left out to dry.
What does Stephen Cohen bring to the table? Another real estate broker only concerned about the short term/next sale?