Meet and greet forum for candidates this Tuesday
There’s one thing we can already say about the results of the Miami Beach election Nov. 7: There won’t be any commission runoffs.
All three commission seats on the Beach ballot are head-to-head contests.
In Group 4, real estate broker Andres Asion and small business owner and marketing pro Tanya Katzoff Bhatt, former president of the Miami Beach United non profit, want to replace Commissioner Steve Meiner, who is running for mayor. In Group 5, hotelier Mitch Novick and community activist and marketing pro David Suarez want to replace Commissioner Ricky Arriola, who is termed out. And in Group 6, financial pro Joe Magazine and art advisor and curator Marcella Novela want to replace Commissioner David Richardson, who is running for tax collector in 2024.
Voters will get a chance to hear from them all at a meet and greet candidates forum hosted by Miami Beach United Tuesday. It begins at 6 p.m. at the Miami Beach Woman’s Club, 2401 Pine Tree Drive. There will be free parking available at Hebrew Academy, 2400 Pine Tree Drive.
This forum will be video recorded and posted a few days later on the Miami Beach United YouTube channel, where voters can also view the mayoral forum held last month. More on that race soon.
In Group 4, Asion has raised $152,655 through June, according to the latest campaign finance reports. That includes a $30,000 loan to himself and a few small bundles, like $3,000 from Hialeah developer Santiago Alvarez, who has been tied to accused terrorist (or Cuban freedom fighter) Luis Posada Carriles and accused of anti-Fidel Castro plots. The largest bundle so far is $10,000 from real estate mogul Greg Mermelli.
Asion has kingmaker Christian Ulvert as well as Michael Worley and Alex Miranda on his campaign team and an endorsement from Miami-Dade School Board Members Lucia Baez-Geller. He is a member of the City’s Board of Adjustment, a past member of the Convention Center Advisory Board, and twice a graduate of the Miami Beach Citizen’s Police Academy.
Katzoff has raised $89,649, which includes a $20,000 loan to herself. Her only real bundle is $4,000 from Mango’s Cafe owner David Wallack. The North Beach resident has served as president of Miami Beach United, as vice chair of the city’s Planning Board, and as board member of the Miami Design Preservation League. She is getting consulting services from Polaris Public Affairs. A lobbyist?
In Group 5, Suarez has loaned himself $300,000 and raised another $21K from friends. He is consultant David “Disgustin'” Custin‘s candidate. Custin has burned through more than $100K of this sucker’s dough. ‘Nough said.
Read related: First Miami Beach city commission candidate files for November election
Novick has not reported raising a dime.
In Group 6, Magazine has raised $67,285, including a loan of $25,500 to himself. Looks like the biggest bundle is $3,000 from pizza slinger Dominic Cavagnuolo. Ulvert and Worley are working his campaign. The 10-year resident has served on the city’s Planning Board.
Novela raised $47,893, including a $20K loan to herself, $3,000 from real estate investor Edgardo Defortuna and $305 from former Miami Lakes City Manager Alex Rey, who is now top administrator in the city of St. Pete Beach.
The election is Nov. 7.
Miami Beach commission races are head-to-head contests in all 3 open seats added by Ladra on
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