Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Pedro García almost got re-elected without any opposition this year — until a surprise candidate came out of nowhere and qualified on Monday.
Her name is Marisol Zenteno and she works for the county property 
appraiser’s office. In other words, García is her boss.
Awwwkwaaaard.
Zenteno, who makes $77,000 a year as an income evaluation specialist, works assessing commercial property and defending those assessments at Value Adjustment Board hearings. The Miami Gardens resident is also served two terms as president of the League of Women Voters of Miami-Dade, so she has beat the drum for other candidates.
And she has nothing against her boss.
“He’s served the county well over 10 or 12 years as a property appraiser,” Zenteno told Ladra Wednesday (it’s 12). I just think we can provide more. We have two different visions.”
She says the property appraiser’s website has to be more user friendly and include information in Spanish and Creole and that there needs to be more outreach so people don’t have to come downtown or to the South Dade Government Center for anything.
Read related: Miami-Dade Commission candidates qualify for 2020 overhaul election
Zenteno, who worked as a property appraiser in the private sector for 15 years before joining the county five years ago, launched her website this week. She says we need fresh blood at the helm, especially in the wake of the effect COVID19 will have on property values and the anticipation of the office becoming totally independent in 2025.
But wouldn’t that be precisely when we need to keep someone with experience?
“She is a great person. Her work has been very good,” García told Ladra Wednesday. “It was a total surprise to me, but this is a democracy. Whoever wants to run, please step up.
“It’s her decision and she has every right to run, like I did,” said García, who was a VAB magistrate before he was first elected in 2008.
This year, the county is looking at $7 billion in new construction added to the tax rolls, García said. But next year is 
when we will feel any property value losses due to the COVID19 pandemic and shut down.
“We are looking at next year very closely. It is going to be a critical year, above all in commercial properties like rental apartments and retail, ” Garcia said, citing the closure of Nordstrom at Dadeland Mall as a bad sign of things to come.
He’s also concerned about getting portability tax exemption benefits on residential property extended for another three years, when he says it’s going to be super important. The referendum question is on November’s ballot.
But, first, the property appraiser’s race will be decided in August. And the heavy burden is on Zenteno to unseat the popular incumbent.
Meanwhile, even if the two of them work on different floors at County Hall, she may want to avoid the elevators.
Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia is challenged by his own county employee added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
