Two Cuban-American representatives from the Republican Party have been elected to pivotal roles in Miami-Dade County: the Supervisor of Elections and the Tax Collector. Alina García, a native of Havana, will serve as the county's Supervisor of Elections, a position established in 2018 following the approval of Amendment 10, which was previously under the jurisdiction of the mayor.
García garnered an impressive 576,172 votes, accounting for 56% of the total, surpassing the former Democratic state representative J.C. Planas, who received 454,470 votes, or 44%. The businesswoman, whose family relocated to Florida in 1961, was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2022, representing District 115.
Cuban-Born Entrepreneur Takes Charge as Tax Collector
Meanwhile, her fellow Cuban-American Dariel Fernández has been elected as the Tax Collector. Forty-six-year-old Fernández, the founder of "Ponemos Group," a software company, emerged victorious with 572,964 votes (56%), defeating his opponent, Miami Beach's former Democratic commissioner and business administrator David Richardson, who garnered 455,639 votes (44%).
Originally from Madruga, Mayabeque, Fernández emigrated to the United States at a young age during the 1990s. In Florida, he worked various jobs, including washing cars at a dealership. In 2021, he was elected president of the political movement Somos+.
Revival of the Tax Collector Role
The role of Tax Collector in Miami-Dade was revived after being abolished in 1977. A constitutional amendment in 2018 transformed it from an appointed county position to an elected, partisan, and independent role. The office will be responsible for collecting property taxes, vehicle registration fees, vehicle renewals, and various licenses, including those for fishing, hunting, and commercial activities, as well as permits for the disabled.