Run-off election for Sunny Isles Beach City Commission

Run-off Election for Sunny Isles Beach City Commission

The Sunny Isles Beach commission race  will be decided in a run-off election after none of the three candidates secured more than 50 percent of the votes, the necessary to win on Tuesday night.

 Two political newcomers,  Alex Lama and David Grossman received the most votes and will face off again on Dec. 4. While Felix Kizhner, a democrat and a political novice finished with only 20 percent of the votes,in the race to represent the central section of the city. A city that is struggling with traffic, and rapid development.

Alex Lama is a Republican who has lived in Sunny Isles Beach since 1988, finished first with roughly 45 percent of the vote. He currently works  in advertising and has served on the city’s resident advisory committee since April. Lama also volunteers with the Parent Teacher Student Association at Sunny Isles Beach K-8 Center. 

Run-off election for Sunny Isles Beach City Commission
Alex Lama

 

David Grossman, a Libertarian  gained  with 35 percent of the vote. He works as a lease broker at Evolution Leasing. He grew up in New York and moved to Sunny Isles Beach in 2009. Like his competitors, Grossman has never held public office before, but he said he has been involved in local issues, including protesting city signs prohibiting guns in certain areas.

Run-off election for Sunny Isles Beach City Commission
David Grossman

The winner of the run-off election will fill Seat 2, which represents a swath of the city between 172nd and 178th streets, and will serve a four-year term on the nonpartisan five-member City Commission.

Grossman has said that his  main focus would be to make the city government more efficient and transparent. He said he’d also address homelessness by coordinating with the county to provide more mental health resources for the city’s homeless population and by pushing for tougher enforcement of no-camping rules.

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Lama said that in order to address pedestrian safety along Collins Avenue, he  would bring together a team of experts to study the issue. He also plans to work with other government agencies and environmental groups to find long-term solutions to beach erosion and flooding.

Lama outraised his opponents, bringing in more than $53,000, including a $5,000 loan to himself. Many of the donations came from real estate developers. Kizhner, 50, a semi-retired life coach and DJ, raised close to $20,000, much of which he loaned to himself, and Grossman collected roughly $3,700, of which $1,300 came from the candidate.

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