Miami Election: Bovo, Cava Face Off In Mayoral Run-Off Race

MIAMI, FL — In the 2020 election, Miami-Dade County voters will choose the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners next mayor in a run-off race. Esteban L. Bovo and Daniella Levine Cava are vying for the role.

How to vote

As the Nov. 3 election approaches, Miami-Dade County voters can submit their ballots at early voting locations, at drop-off boxes and by mail. They can also vote at their local voting precinct on Election Day.

If voting in person, either early or on Nov. 3, voters must bring a current and valid ID with their name, photo and signature. Find a full list of acceptable IDs here.

Vote-by-mail ballots may be returned using the U.S. Postal Service. The return postage for a vote-by-mail ballot is two Forever stamps or $.70. They must be received by 7 p.m. Election Day. Additionally, they can be dropped off at any early voting location. Find a list of early voting locations here. The deadline to request a vote-by-mail ballot has passed.

If you choose to vote in person on Nov. 3, you can look up your voting precinct online here. For your vote to count, you must vote in the precinct in which you reside. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Meet the candidates

Miami Patch recently sent out questionnaires to learn more about who these candidates are and where they stand on local issues. Below are the responses submitted.

Daniella Levine Cava lives with her husband, Robert, in Miami-Dade County. She has served as a county commissioner from 2014 to 2020.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yale University. She earned her graduate degrees in law and social work from Columbia University.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Cava: Miami-Dade County has no shortage of pressing challenges to respond to, and none is more immediate than the need to chart an inclusive and sustainable economic recovery. The Coronavirus pandemic has cost our community over 3,500 lives and tens of thousands of jobs, and our next mayor has a responsibility to protect our community from continued suffering.

My plan to bring us back from the coronavirus pandemic begins with appointing a chief medical officer to help lead our response so that they can operate safely and keep their doors open. It will also be important to create a more business-friendly environment that empowers our residents to innovate and create. As mayor, I will scale the Business Accelerator I started in my district as a commissioner and make our county’s revolving loan program permanent in order to provide new businesses with a strong foundation for growth.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Cava: My opponent and I have different views on what our county’s underlying issues are, as well as what our responses to them should be. For instance, I have been clear that systemic racism in Miami-Dade County exists, and that we need to launch a series of reforms in order to root it out. My opponent, however, believes that systemic racism is a myth.

I believe that ignoring the coronavirus and simply hoping it goes away is not a strategy for countering it, while my opponent pushes for a complete disregard of all public health protocols and instead calls for taking a herd immunity approach, which would cost us tens of thousands of lives.

I believe that our environment is to be protected at all costs, while my opponent has voted to expand offshore drilling off of Florida’s coastline and opposes the Paris Climate Accord.

I also believe that providing paid sick-leave, especially during a pandemic, is a reasonable policy to support, while my opponent believes our workers should have to choose between their health and their livelihood.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Cava: In addition to the economic, public health, and social issues I have previously addressed, I will also be focused on housing and the environment.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Cava:

Transit

1) Forced the South Corridor to meet International Gold Standards and ensured that system will be designed for upgrade to Metrorail

2) Cut the fare for express bus riders

3) Required regular reporting of fleet condition and roll-out of new rail cars

4) Required real-time tracking of city circulators and county buses and to make data open-source

Climate Change

1) Required all new multifamily apartments, and commercial buildings requiring more than 9 parking spaces to be “Electric Vehicle” ready

2) Required County buildings to automatically include electric vehicle charging, cool reflective roofing, assess the potential for generating solar energy, and 3) Required infrastructure to be built sustainably.

4) Set aggressive targets for cutting fuel consumption and set an aggressive goal to go electric with bus fleet

Water

1) Helped dozens of homes exposed to pollution connect to safe drinking water

2) Succeeded in getting Miami-Dade County and South Florida Water Management District to collaborate on re-starting a major wetland restoration project critical to the health of Biscayne Bay. The project had been stalled for a decade before I got involved.

3) Banned fracking and fracking fluids

4) Helped establish Biscayne Bay Marine Health Summit, required reports on seagrass die-off, improved water quality monitoring, use of DNA testing

Transparency and Good Government

1) Created an “open data” policy for government data access

2) Strengthened whistleblower protections (Employee Protection Ordinance) to expose waste fraud and abuse

3) Required fundraising disclosures

4) Toughened disclosure requirements for conflict of interest for Commissioners

Housing

5) $50m for affordable home ownership

6) Championed creation of this program

7) Commissioner Bovo voted for it to go towards rental, not ownership

Community Land Trusts

8) Amended the County’s rules to allow for Community Land Trusts to compete for local housing dollars like surtax dollars as well as state housing dollars in MDC

9)Reformed CRA requirements to prevent gentrification by ensuring they retain same number of AH units

10) Included requirements for Community Benefit Agreements

11) Local hiring legislation

12) Ethical procurement guidelines

13) Supported a solar and energy loan fund-mechanism for lower income home owners to do home improvements.

Why should voters trust you?

Cava: For voters wondering which candidate they can trust, I would ask them to look at our respective records. In my six years as a County Commissioner, I have faithfully served the residents of Miami-Dade County without using my office for personal gain. I am proud to have conducted my office in a forthright manner that has allowed me to avoid any scandal or allegation of malfeasance.

In examining my record, voters will not find allegations of ballot fraud, pay-to-play, or that associates of mine have taken money from oppressive government regimes. As mayor, you can count on me to lead with transparency and honesty because that is what I have always done.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

Cava: Beyond the mesmerizing skyscrapers and beautiful beaches that Miami-Dade County is known for, our community is struggling to contend with decades of policies designed to help the wealthiest few. As such, I will deem my time a success if I successfully created more pathways into the middle class. As a community saddled with income inequality and declining social mobility, Miami-Dade County needs a mayor who will rebuild our economy from the middle-out by investing in our residents. That is why I am so focused on making our community more livable and hospitable by investing in affordable housing, public transportation, protecting our environment, and providing protection and security for working families.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Cava: Taking care of taxpayer money is one of the most important aspects of this job, and I believe that is especially true during times of economic crisis. Next year, we are expecting a sharp decrease in Miami-Dade County’s budget, and it is important to begin preparing for those circumstances today. As mayor, my first budgeting priority will be working with our various departments to determine where we can cut down on wasteful spending and inefficiencies, so that we can absorb the incoming revenue shock without substantially altering our service levels.

I also believe that investments in our future pay dividends, and that taxpayers are ultimately the biggest losers when we put off moving forward with critical initiatives, like the development of more affordable housing and transportation corridors. For that reason, I will take a balanced approach to Miami-Dade County’s budget by working with our community to prioritize the services they need and make proper funding adjustments to the ones they do not.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

Cava: The murder of George Floyd was a crescendo in our nation’s longstanding battle against the forces of systemic racism. The peaceful protests that followed were filled with people from all different races and walks of life and demonstrated that the vast majority of Americans agree that systemic racism exists. I was proud to participate in those peaceful demonstrations and will continue fighting for racial equality as Miami-Dade County’s mayor. At the same time, we cannot tolerate acts of destruction by those who take advantage of these peaceful protests and must draw a clear line of distinction between them.

What are your thoughts on the campaign to "defund" the police?

Cava: My record is clear: I am opposed to defunding the police and have consistently voted to provide them with more resources to do their job safely. What I do support, however, is increasing our investments in anti-bias training, mental health services, and preventative measures to take the burden off of our police force and do a better job of meeting the needs of our residents.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

Cava: Our national and state response to the Coronavirus pandemic has been an unmitigated disaster on the public health front, and woefully inadequate on the economic front.

What I favor is listening to science and data; if it tells us that we can resume business as usual, then I will move us in that direction. Conversely, if case numbers begin to spike uncontrollably, then we will need to take measures to manage the spread so that our businesses can continue to operate at a safe capacity that mitigates the risk of having to shut down once again. In order to help our county navigate this crisis, I will appoint a Chief Medical Officer to ensure that Miami-Dade County’s reopening policy is safe and sustainable.

Finally, I am in favor of a nationwide mask mandate. This is one of the simplest steps we can take to return to some semblance of normalcy, and it is frustrating to see those in positions of power seek to politicize something as anodyne as wearing a mask.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

Cava: No.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Cava: Perhaps the most important advice I ever received came from my parents, who taught me as a young woman to always remain true to myself and to never give up. As we navigate through these unprecedented times as a community, I believe that piece of advice is of even greater significance today as election day draws closer and closer.

It is no secret that the last year has been incredibly challenging to so many in our community. However, we have always gotten through crises of our past by remaining true to our values and fighting to make our government more reflective of them. I am running for mayor because I believe that our people are our greatest asset, and that by investing in you, we can make our community a better place for generations to come.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Cava: Voters should know that my campaign for County mayor has been centered around the same principles that I have led my life by: vision, integrity, and results. At a time when the reservoir of trust in government has been depleted by those in power who have sought to sow fear and division, what I offer to Miami-Dade County residents is a new kind of leadership. I will continue to push for policies that make our government more transparent and accountable. I will listen to those in our community who have had their voices cast aside in the past, and I will always put our residents before petty politics and special interest groups.

Learn more about Cava on her campaign website.

Esteban L. Bovo did not submit his questionnaire to Miami Patch. He was first elected to the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners representing District 13 in 2011.

Prior to this, he served as councilman for the city of Hialeah in 1998. In 2008, he was elected as State Representative for District 110 and was re-elected without opposition in 2010.

According to his campaign website, Bovo has a 4x4 Plan for Miami-Dade County if he’s elected mayor. This plan focuses on four main priorities for the county: improving residents’ quality of life, stimulating small business, promoting safe communities and implementing effective transportation initiatives.

On his website, he wrote, “I am running for mayor of Miami-Dade County because politics cannot continue to be above the priorities of the taxpayer. Business as usual at county hall can’t continue for Miami-Dade to prosper and our citizens to have the quality of life they deserve. My candidacy is based on conservative principles to protect taxpayer dollars, ensure transparency, fairness, and fiscal responsibility. Make no mistake, my administration will not serve the interests of the extreme liberals that are looking to redefine America and, in the process, increase Miami-Dade government on the back of its taxpayers.”

Bovo is committed to opposing any efforts that will increase property taxes or raise millage rates, eliminating “cronyism and ‘pay-to-play’ culture that has corrupted contracts,” keeping out managed-toll lanes along 826, addressing water-quality issues; and creating a transit expansion plan.

Learn more about Bovo on his campaign website.