Hialeah Mayor Will Seek Miami-Dade Seat
HIALEAH (CBS4) -- Julio Robaina, currently the mayor of Hialeah, announced Monday that he will be running for Miami-Dade mayor in the 2012 elections, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
Robaina, who served as a council president before being twice elected mayor of Hialeah, made his announcement Monday on Spanish-language radio and on his Facebook page.
``The county is out of touch with its residents, which is negatively affecting us all and our futures,'' he said on Facebook. ``What I envisioned as a resident and public servant for this county is not being reflected in the decisions being made.''
The announcement comes at a time when Carlos Alvarez, the current mayor, is awash in controversy as efforts to recall him and County Commissioner Natacha Seijas, who represents Hialeah, are in full swing.
The Miami Herald is reporting that Robaina said he plans to introduce, if elected, changes in county government that include term limits and the prohibition of outside income for elected officials. He also suggested creating a fully independent Office of the Inspector General.
Robaina was first elected to the Hialeah City Council in 1997, and was a political protegé of former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez. In 2005 he was elected to succeed Martinez as the city's strong-arm mayor.
Since Robaina became mayor Hialeah has added 1,800 acres to its western border and has started building a nearly $100 million water plant with Miami-Dade.
The city also seeks to reopen the historic Hialeah race track.
While Robaina's administration did not raise taxes for the current fiscal year, tensions have run high with city's workers who have faced pay-cuts, layoffs and furloughs.
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