Jesse Scheckner
Miami-Dade Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera wants to see Community Council member Dariel Fernandez elected as the county’s first voter-chosen Tax Collector.
In a new endorsement, Cabrera said in a statement that Fernandez’s “vision for a more efficient and responsive Tax Collector’s Office aligns perfectly with what we need in Miami-Dade County.”
“His dedication to public service and his innovative approach make him the right choice for this important role,” he added.
Cabrera’s endorsement comes less than a month after Fernandez bested former Hialeah Council member Bryan Calvo in a Republican Primary with 52% of the vote. It also comes almost two years after Fernandez endorsed Cabrera for the Miami-Dade Commission, a post Fernandez sought but failed to make the runoff for in 2022.
In a statement, Fernandez said he is “deeply honored” to have Cabrera’s support. The endorsement, he said, “underscores the shared vision we have for improving our community through efficient and transparent governance.”
Fernandez, who owns a local software company called Ponemus, is now on a collision course with former state Rep. David Richardson, a Democratic ex-Miami Beach Commissioner who faced no Primary foe. They’re running to succeed Tax Collector Peter Cam, a longtime county administration employee who decided not to run for the job to which he was appointed in 2019.
Richardson, a CPA and self-described “budget guy” who made history as one of the first openly gay candidates elected to the Legislature, has raised $556,000 since entering the Tax Collector race in May 2023.
Fernandez, meanwhile, reported raising $55,000 and spending nearly $59,000 since January.
He’s received endorsements from state Sen. Ileana Garcia and state Reps. Tom Fabricio, Alina García, Juan Porras and Alex Rizo, who also serves as Chair of the Miami-Dade Republican Party.
Other endorsers include Miami-Dade Commissioner René García; Miami-Dade School Board member Danny Espino; Hialeah Mayor Esteban “Steve” Bovo; Hialeah Gardens Mayor Yioset de la Cruz; Doral Mayor Christi Fraga; Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago; Medley Mayor Roberto Martell; Hialeah City Council member Jacqueline Garcia Roves, Vivian Casáls-Muñoz, Monica Perez, Luis Rodriguez and Jesus Tundidor; Sweetwater Commissioner Ian Vallecillo; the Fraternal Order of Police; South Florida Police Benevolent Association; and the Dominican American Chamber of Commerce, according to his campaign website and Facebook page.
If elected, Fernandez vows to use technology to streamline processes at the Tax Collector’s Office to make them more user-friendly and efficient, expedite services by cutting “unnecessary red tape,” provide personalized services to senior citizens and vulnerable populations, and expand services through more field and driver’s license offices.
The General Election is on Nov. 5.
