March 18, 2016
3/17/16
11:05 AM
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THE MIAMI LAKER
Town’s November general election has 12 running for 4 Countil seats David L. Snelling The Miami Laker staff Miami Lakes residents Jose Nodal Jr. and Cynthia Beyer are the latest candidates to file papers to run for seats on the Town Council, bringing the total number of office seekers to 12 for the town’s November general election. Nodal is among three aspirants challenging incumbent Tony Lama for Seat Three, while Beyer is joining a field campaigning for Seat Five, which was left open after Councilmember Manny Cid decided to shift his reelection bid to the mayoral race. Business woman Xiomara Pazos and novice Robin BrownBeamon are also challenging Lama’s bid for Seat 3, while Esther Colon, Nayib Hassan and Wendy Milanes are also seeking Seat Five. The mayoral race includes incumbent Mayor Michael Pizzi, Cid, fellow Council member Ceasar Mestre and former mayor Wayne Slaton. Albeit Pizzi told The Miami Laker last month that he has decided to seek a third term, he has yet
to open a campaign account and file papers with the Town Clerk. According to the town’s website for elections, Mestre is the campaign finance leader in the race having raised $30,465, while Cid has raised $24,480. Slaton has yet to file a campaign finance report. So far, Councilmember Nelson Rodriguez is running unopposed for Seat One. Lama said he welcomes the challengers, especially Pazos who unsuccessfully challenged Mestre for Seat 6 in 2014. “I welcome Ms. Pazos’s desire to become more involved in the town’s government, but residents expect candidates to be involved with the town and aware of the issues,” said Lama, who has raised $19,527. “Since Ms. Pazos’s challenge to Councilman Mestre in 2014, she has not engaged with the town through any one of our committees or been involved in finding solutions to our challenges, like traffic. Residents will expect to hear what she did during that time because being a member of the Miami Lakes Town Council requires
Miami Lakes Relay for Life set for April 2 at Optimist Park Miami Lakes Relay for Life event will be held Saturday, April 2, from 3 p.m. to midnight at Miami Lakes Optimist Park, 6411 N.W. 162 Street. The Town’s Youth Activities Task Force and Just Run Program have created teams and will be participating in this community
event to remember love ones lost, and celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. To create a team or donate, visit www.relayforlife.org/miamilakesfl. For more information about the Relay for Life, contact Dalizbel.batistabatchelor@cancer.org.
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commitment and in many cases, personal sacrifice. In the same period, I have worked with other council members to tackle traffic, increase transparency, keep taxes low, and focus on beautification initiatives as I promised when I was first elected. I look forward to sharing my record of accomplishment with residents as the campaign unfolds.” Pazos said she’s challenging Lama’s reelection bid because he has failed the people in Miami Lakes and it is time for a change. “I am running for the Town Council because Miami Lakes needs more diversity, new ideas and less cronyism on the Town Council,” she said. “Currently, there are no females on the Town Council, and Mr. Lama is part of an insider group, or clique, that exercises no oversight, expresses no new ideas and that puts loyalty to the political machine ahead of the public benefit. “Councilman Lama spent over one million dollars of our tax
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MARCH 18, 2016
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