Jesse Scheckner
Former Miami-Dade Mayor Alex Penelas is backing former lawmaker and Miami Beach Commissioner David Richardson for county Tax Collector.
“I know what it takes to effectively lead our county Tax Collector’s Office and deliver top-notch services for residents, which is why I’m proud to endorse David Richardson for the job,” Penelas said.
“David is a tested leader who has proven his commitment to serving our community and improving the lives of residents across Miami-Dade, (and as) a CPA for 39 years, David is uniquely qualified for this position. His experience balancing budgets and managing accounting will serve us especially well as the Tax Collector’s Office prepares to absorb the responsibilities of the DMV for the first time — and David has both the experience and the vision required to transform the Tax Collector’s Office into one that better serves the people of Miami-Dade County.”
Penelas’ endorsement, which Richardson’s campaign announced Tuesday, joins others from Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and local and state chapters of AFSCME, SEIU, CWA and Equality Florida Action PAC.
Richardson called Penelas’ nod “a tremendous honor.”
“Throughout his career, Mayor Penelas has been a visionary leader for our community and his work has improved the lives of residents throughout Miami-Dade,” he said. “I am running for Tax Collector because I’m committed to being a responsible steward of our residents’ tax dollars — ensuring that the Tax Collector’s Office operates with transparency, efficiency, and a focus on delivering needed services to the residents of Miami-Dade with accessibility and ease.”
Richardson, an LGBTQ trailblazer and self-described “budget guy,” is running to be Miami-Dade’s first elected Tax Collector since 1957, when county voters adopted a Home Rule Charter abolishing a few constitutional offices — including Tax Collector and Supervisor of Elections — and conferring their powers to the County Manager, who appointed people to those posts.
The authority has fallen to the county Mayor since 2007, when Miami-Dade voters approved a “strong Mayor” system.
That arrangement will soon change. In 2018, Florida voters — including 58% of Miami-Dade voters — approved a constitutional amendment requiring every county in the state to elect a Tax Collector, Supervisor of Elections, Sheriff and Property Appraiser by Jan. 7, 2025.
Richardson, who had no Democratic Primary opponent, is set to local business owner and Miami-Dade Community Council member Dariel Fernandez, who bested ex-Hialeah Council member Bryan Calvo last month in the Republican Primary.
The General Election is Nov. 5.
