Two Cubans appointed to two crucial positions in Miami-Dade

Two Cuban representatives of the Republican Party were elected to two key positions in Miami-Dade: election supervisor and tax collector.

Alina García, born in Havana, will be the election supervisor in the county, a new position created in 2018 following the approval of Amendment 10, which had previously been under the mayor's jurisdiction.

García received 576,172 votes (56%), thus surpassing former Democratic state representative J.C. Planas, who obtained 454,470 votes (44%).

The businesswoman, whose family arrived in Florida in 1961, was elected to the House of Representatives for District 115 in 2022.

For his part, his compatriot Dariel Fernández was elected to the position of tax collector.

Fernández, 46 years old and founder of "Ponemos Group," a software company, emerged victorious with 572,964 votes (56%) over his opponent, business administrator and former Democratic commissioner of Miami Beach, David Richardson, who received 455,639 votes (44%).

Originally from Madruga, Mayabeque, Dariel emigrated to the United States at a young age in 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+.

The position of tax collector was elected in Miami-Dade after decades, having disappeared in 1977. In 2018, a constitutional amendment established that it would transition from a designated county position to being elected, partisan, and independent.

Your office will be responsible for collecting taxes on properties, vehicle registrations, vehicle renewals, driver’s licenses, fishing and hunting licenses, as well as permits for the disabled and commercial permits.