For Doral mayor and council …

There are three municipal posts up for election in Doral, including the job of mayor.

Mayor

Incumbent Luigi Boria is being challenged by former mayor Juan Carlos Bermúdez, the first to hold that position in the young city, as well as council member Sandra Ruiz, who has been a vocal opponent of some of Mr. Boria’s policies and initiatives.

All three candidates possess the political experience required for the job and the requisite familiarity with Doral’s problems — chief among them the nightmarish traffic congestion, which becomes most frustrating during morning and evening rush hours.

Mr. Boria can boast of some successes, such as lowering taxes and promoting residential and commercial real-estate development. But his tenure has also been marred by ethical controversies, like his association with a real-estate firm in which his sons were shareholders and a fine for violating campaign funding regulations involving his own race in 2012. His nasty fight with former City Manager Joe Carollo, who happened to be Mr. Boria’s own appointee, brought embarrassment to the city.

After he was fired, Mr. Carollo filed a lawsuit alleging corruption against Mr. Boria that is still pending in court.

Mr. Boria managed to move on with new hires for city manager and municipal police chief. But that didn’t put an end to the simmering discontent on the part of many Doral residents who believe he favors commercial interests over the concerns of average citizens. And during meetings with the Editorial Boards of both the Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald, Mr. Boria frequently interrupted rival candidates a la Donald Trump with unmerited accusations.

Ms. Ruiz knows Doral and its problems as well as anyone. She has the right cultural sensitivity to serve a community that is 80 percent Hispanic. But an unseemly verbal confrontation with Doral police in September — brought on by a quarrel between her son and a girlfriend — raises serious questions about her temperament. She accused the police of taking part in a politically inspired plot against her and used intemperate language against them.

Mr. Bermúdez promoted Doral’s urban growth during his two terms, from 2003 to 2012. His tenure was marred by serious controversies, including the costly construction of City Hall and a park named in his honor (today wisely renamed Doral Central Park). But during his time in office Doral was recognized by CNN in 2009 as one of the 100 best cities to live and start a business.

All three candidates for the mayoral post are capable, but …

Keep reading.

Add Comment