+ Why are you running for office and what qualities, training, experience and skills do you bring to this position?

I’m running for mayor to accomplish many goals for our residents. I have extensive experience in government, and in business. While in government, I have run multi-million-dollar public entities, with large numbers of employees while a resident in Miami Beach during the first 35 years of my life. I have also spent my life giving back by volunteering for public service on a multitude of civic, volunteer and city committees and boards.

During the second half of my life, after I moved to Surfside in 1996, I became mayor and oversaw the development of our new community center, hired amazing public staff, worked to have our police department reformed and accredited for the first time, gave all our residents free parking, nurtured our biggest asset, our amazing beach, kept residents safe from crime and overdevelopment, always voted for lower taxes, kept our neighborhoods peaceful and beautiful, invested in our parks programs for our kids and programs for our seniors, cracked down on speeders on Collins and Harding, demanded that heights on the ocean never exceed 12 stories, ensured that political terms were never extended beyond 2 years, that politicians could not bury us in debt and that politicians could not pay themselves while in office.

In my personal life I started investing in real estate in 1983 when I was 22 and with $20K in savings I earned as a construction laborer. Since that time, I have gone on to personally develop an investment portfolio of shopping centers, stand-alone retail, apartment buildings, tracks of land leased to national companies and an assortment of other types of investment properties, situated among eight States in the US, all owned by me – all debt free. I can humbly say that I feel confident that I can bring my world, governmental and business experience, and the good judgement I have worked hard to develop, to the table for the benefit of all our residents, with the single goal of keeping and improving the one-of-a-kind lifestyle that we all cherish.
While a by-product of being successful in my current campaign would be to replace the current mayor who has demonstrated a preference for authoritarian tactics at meetings, for frightening and thus discouraging residents from attending because he regularly embarrasses, shuts speakers down and even throws them out of meetings because they disagree with him - there’s much more that I want to get done. In my last term as mayor, immediately preceding the election of Mr. Danzinger, voters said they wanted the powerlines put underground, flooding fixed in town and speeding and cut through traffic in Town stopped. None of those promises were kept by Mr. Danzinger, but those promises will be kept if I am elected. We will provide our seniors with free transportation to local doctors, programs to entertain them and support their needs, and implement unapparelled afterschool and summer programs for our kids.
We won’t compromise our zoning codes to do favors for developers – as our current mayor and his two allies, Rose and Landsman have done. On the contrary, we will strengthen our zoning codes to ensure that overdevelopment never destroys our precious, one-of-a-kind, small-town quality of life. My primary reason for running is to ensure that profiteers, speculators and greedy developers are not in positions of power in our town, as they are now.
Surfside will never, ever turn into, or even look like Sunny Isles or Miami Beach, as long as I am its mayor. I love our home, as does my 20-year-old son William and his beautiful mother Julia. Our family expects to be here a long, long time and we want to keep Surfside the gem, and also the envy of all our surrounding municipalities, that it is – and will stay as, if I have anything to do with it.

+ What are the 3 most important issues facing your community? For each concern, how do you propose to mitigate/improve/resolve the issue?

1. The looming possibility that a new Florida law called “live local” allows our historic, one-of-a-kind town to be destroyed. The Bal Harbour shops owner has just proposed new giant buildings that will loom over their historic village, bring over-crowding to the area and turn Bal Harbour into Sunny Isles – something I will refuse to ever accept. I will fight this law with every legal tool I have. We will not let Surfside go the way of Miami Beach, Sunny Isles, or now Heaven-forbid Bal Harbour, whose largest developer has just proposed the demise of a once proud village. The radical changes are something the Bal Harbour residents just rejected a couple years ago, but is now very possible thanks to this horrible new law, which we all must fight.

2. Crime, traffic and public safety. Our amazing quality of life is predicated on being able to enjoy all our incredible resources without fear of being robbed or our kids being run over by speeding traffic. Our police department plays a huge roll in this effort. Historically there were always police cars highly visible in our town and the response time was just a few minutes. It’s not like that anymore, but it will be after my election – that I promise!

3. Our town hall, and especially our town commission meetings are failing our residents. Town staff must always be smiling, welcoming, helpful and efficient. Town meetings must change to be welcoming, interesting, open, transparent and inviting. When I am elected, all of our staff will greet residents with a smile, be welcoming, helpful and efficient at solving their issues. Town meetings will not be run as they are now, with threats and the removal of those who question the mayor or his allies, Rose and Landsman. Meetings will be run as they were when I was mayor, with all residents being respected, allowed to speak their minds and not be fearful of receiving a lecture from the mayor, or worse, being thrown out of the meetings at the mayor’s direction by armed Surfside police. Our residents will absolutely come first, and that policy will be front and center in our administration if I am elected.

+ Why are you running for office and what qualities, training, experience and skills do you bring to this position?

I’m running for office because it’s time for a change. A change in the way residents and fellow colleagues are treated by our leaders so everyone feels welcome and heard. A change away from slates of candidates to independent thinkers. A change in the way we spend Town resources. I want to be your agent for change.

I will bring my leadership, education and life experience upon election to this office. I am a Surfside resident and teacher of 30 years. A Chief of Staff to two Miami-Dade School Board Members, and a husband and father of over a decade. I know Robert’s Rules of Order, the rules used to govern our Commission meetings. I know how to work with colleagues on the dais and the public. I know how to get things done on time and on budget. I understand how hard it is to earn a living and will be wise on how I allocate Town resources. I have been and will remain your neighbor.

+ What are the 3 most important issues facing your community? For each concern, how do you propose to mitigate/improve/resolve the issue?

The biggest issue facing our community is respect for one another. We have lost the ability to communicate without denigrating an opposing viewpoint. I will fix this by speaking up if I hear a colleague treat a resident or colleague wrongly. I will make sure that you are heard, whether for or against an item, when you come speak with me about an issue at a public meeting or on the streets of Surfside.

Parking is another big issue facing our Town that has plagued us for years, if not decades. We need to keep our parking for our residents and those shopping in our stores and restaurants. No more contractor parking will be tolerated. No more overnight parking in our lots. We need better and more timely enforcement and time limits for parking in our lots and on our streets. We already have video cameras in our lots and should utilize them to monitor vehicles and then ticket or tow them during peak times, as necessary. We also need to remove double parked delivery vehicles from our through lanes so as to minimize traffic congestion throughout our Town.

A third issue facing our Town is spending. This Commission has spent frivolously. We have more cars, UTVs, ATVs and personnel driving them all around Town and on our beaches while our streets, sidewalks and street calming circles and ends look terrible and are not maintained. Flowers are planted and then are left to wither and die. I will dedicate Town funds aimed to beautify our neighborhood for our residents and guests and use competitive bidding to get the best contractors at the best price with incentives for quality and performance. I will not tolerate wasteful spending of our tax dollars and will hold our Town Manager to account for same.

+ Why are you running for office and what qualities, training, experience and skills do you bring to this position?

My name is Ruben Coto, and I am running for Town of Surfside Commissioner.

In 2004 I served on the Town Commission and worked hard to protect our town from overdevelopment. Additional achievements from my time on the dais include enhancing our relationship with local schools including establishing a tutoring program run by Surfside students for the benefit of younger Surfside students. Most importantly, we encouraged and welcomed resident participation in everything from beach clean-ups to Commission meetings. Today, I want to continue my efforts and serve the town again.

My vision is to be part of a Surfside that responds to the actual NEEDS of ALL Surfsiders! I would prioritize establishing a policy stating that our codes must be enforced equally and with absolutely no favors for developers or special interests. I will work hard to ensure that our public spaces are maintained, move forward with undergrounding, and address the flooding issues. I absolutely am committed to a Champlain Memorial Park that is completed in a dignified manner worthy of the 98 souls and their families.

I hope to be part of a governing body that restores trust, inclusivity, and a productive dialogue between the Commission and ALL Surfsiders.

A little background about me. I was born in Costa Rica to Cuban parents who fled the Castro regime. We arrived in the United States when I was two months old.

I am a 34-year resident of Surfside. My wife, the former Lea Baruch, and I are proud to have raised our two amazing sons, Joseph and Gabriel, in the same Surfside home that Lea’s mom purchased in 1976.

I am a self-employed small business owner. Since 2013, my company, Coto Industries LLC, has specialized in the sale of health and life insurance.

My formal education includes a degree from Martin Technical College in Dental Technology as well as Political Science coursework at Miami-Dade Community College.

I am a passionate advocate of civic engagement. A brief history of my Surfside service includes Town Commissioner, Education Committee Liaison, Parks and Recreation Committee Member, and Vice-President of the Surfside Business Association in years past. I have served as a member of our town’s Program for Public Information (PPI) which focuses on educating the public on issues related to FEMA and flooding.

As a thirteen-year Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader, it is important for me to conduct myself in a helpful, trustworthy, and courteous manner. I connect with the mission of the Scouts which emphasizes leadership, character, and public service.

I look forward seeing old friends and making new ones! Please contact me at rcoto@aol.com with any questions or to schedule a personal meeting.

With your support on March 19th, we can work together to PRESERVE OUR PAST WHILE EMBRACING OUR FUTURE!

+ Why are you running for office and what qualities, training, experience and skills do you bring to this position?

I have lived in Surfside over 10 years, and ran for Mayor 3 times. I was lost after the death of my wife. Now I am recovering to return to life. I am a retired businessman, 62 yo. I love Surfside and see issues transformed into problems. Disrespect of officials, lies, corruption, humiliation, dirty political games, hatred, promotion of dominance jewish community over the majority of Surfsiders, sling mud at the lovely town of Surfside here and there by the present Mayor. We are all Americans and must preserve values of democracy, freedom of speech, religion, origin. The government must serve residents not a segregated group, residents at first in hiring, fixing worries, security. Town finances, expenses must be under Public control in the budget committee eliminated by the present Commission. I'd like to show my neighbors new fresh ideas with a goal to run for Mayor in the next elections.

+ What are the 3 most important issues facing your community? For each concern, how do you propose to mitigate/improve/resolve the issue?

There are two directions. First Political. I wish tolerance, respect, and no political games. Second Economics. I will fight for water bill cut at least double cut, Millage rate cut, now 4.7% to less than 2% like in Bal Harbor. Sea level rise, flooding. I will introduce the concept of renourishing, redesigning streets with walkability, safety. comfort. I will promote the Solar town concept, with Private Public partnership, installation of solar panels, powerbank to supply electricity to any dwelling, elimination of power lines, And lastly I promise unforgettable, to be proud of fireworks on Independence day and New Eve. And much much more.

+ Why are you running for office and what qualities, training, experience and skills do you bring to this position?

I’m running for office to restore unity in Surfside. The past two years have widened the divide among neighbors and there is a real need for honest leadership, dedicated to healing our community and strengthening the bonds that previously existed among neighbors. I am a Surfside native, where my parents chose to raise our family and lived here for 55 years, where we were among the first young families to join the very first synagogue in Surfside. My training, experience and skills were formed during my previous three terms of service, two as a commissioner and one as vice mayor. My life experience as a documentary photographer and social activist taught me patience, objectivity, courage, strength, compassion and respect, the characteristics needed to promote harmony within the community. I was a calm voice of reason on the commission, who studied and researched the issues, listened and responded with collaboration for problem solving solutions. Truth in government is important because local government must represent the people and always protect our community.

+ What are the 3 most important issues facing your community? For each concern, how do you propose to mitigate/improve/resolve the issue?

The three most important issues we face as a community are:

1. Unity - Our unity has been broken by the current commission because of mistreatment of residents and derogatory labeling by three elected officials. After the Champlain building collapse, our town stood strong together with religious leaders of all faiths expressing the importance of keeping our community whole. We can achieve wholeness again through kindness, understanding, and fairness by electing better respectful leadership for open government that residents can participate in without fear of retaliation.

2. Traffic and Parking - This is a recurring issue without a simple solution. Through dialogue with residents, more police patrols and enforcement of laws, implementing slow streets and traffic calming initiatives including painted roadways, we can command ways for our streets to be shared safely by pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. Parking solutions need a holistic approach involving all stakeholders to meet the needs of our thriving downtown area.

3. Managed Growth and Responsible Development - Over the past ten years, Surfside has experienced constant growth with new developments, new homes and more diversity in the neighborhood. As this trend continues it is important to manage how it evolves and not be overrun by the disruption. New development has the potential to transform Surfside as a bridge between the past and future to create long-term value with respect to the unique beauty and history of Surfside. Currently there is constant building, causing intrusion in our neighborhood with increased litter, and safety concerns while infrastructure projects are overdue. Strengthening our zoning code and forming a plan for paced development is a crucial component to maintain the quality of life in Surfside.

+ Why are you running for office and what qualities, training, experience and skills do you bring to this position?

First and foremost, I am running for office because I love Surfside. That love motivates me to give back to my hometown and to take an active role in shaping its future.

My family and I moved to Surfside when I was one year old, and my deep roots here have instilled in me not just a love for the town, but also a great deal of knowledge about its people, its history, and its government. I know firsthand what a joy and what a gift it is to be a child growing up here, and I also know that Surfside’s greatest strengths lie in the diversity of its residents and in the many different cultures that make up and enrich this community. Over the course of my life, I have watched Surfside’s elected leaders work to address many of the issues and challenges that face us today—development, traffic, environmental protection—and I am ready now to join that conversation and to contribute to that project.

The main job of the Town Commission is to legislate, or to make law. And in order to do that job properly, it is important to do two things. First, you have to understand the law that already exists and the possibilities for what the law might be. And second, you have to be able to communicate the content of the law (both new and old) to the public.

As a young adult, in my time away from Surfside, I earned a J.D. at Yale Law School, and then I taught law for 13 years at Rutgers University and New York Law School. I believe that I am the only Commission candidate with formal training in law, and that training gives me a valuable perspective on the Commission’s decision-making. In addition, my experience as a teacher and professor has taught me how to communicate about legal issues with the general public. Over the past several years, I’ve put those skills to work as a frequent participant at Commission meetings, where I’ve developed a reputation as a clear, thoughtful, and respectful communicator. My neighbors who have watched or attended those meetings will have a good sense of what I can bring to the table—or, better put, to the dais.

+ What are the 3 most important issues facing your community? For each concern, how do you propose to mitigate/improve/resolve the issue?

The #1 issue facing this Town is to preserve the spirit of community and to make sure that Surfside remains a place where people of all races, ethnicities, religions can live in harmony. Growing up amid Surfside’s rich diversity was part of what made my childhood here so special, and I want the next generation to experience that as well.

I think the best way to preserve the spirit of this community is by electing leaders who embody and cultivate that spirit. Specifically, Surfside needs elected leaders who will be honest, thoughtful, open-minded, respectful, and compassionate—especially when they address topics, such as the Champlain South memorial, that lie at the very heart of who we are as a community. The town’s leaders need to be representatives of the entire electorate, and they need to be willing to listen, to learn, and to debate honestly and openly on issues of public concern. The current commission—a majority of it, anyway--does not live up to that standard, but I believe that I can and will.

Issue #2 is protecting the quality of life in town. That’s a broad issue, but I think that framing it broadly is the right way to think about it because, if you ask Surfsiders what they love about their town, they will most often reply by citing the unusually high quality of life here. We need to preserve that quality of life, which is what makes our town so special and desirable.

Specifically, protecting quality of life encompasses things like calming traffic in town (both in the residential district and on A1A); making the town safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and scooter-riders; keeping our air and our water clean; and dealing with the escalating threat posed by flooding and sea-level rise. A lot of those issues come together in the single issue of managing development. Managing development doesn’t mean stopping it, but it means making sure that new development doesn’t detract from our precious quality of life.

To protect quality of life, we need a commission committed to that ideal, not one that’s beholden to special interests and to their own personal financial interests. We need a commission that doesn’t directly profit from the development of this town, that doesn’t take secret international trips to meet with developers, and that works in an open, honest, transparent fashion.

Issue #3 may sound a bit abstract or academic, but it’s vitally important: We need to preserve our town’s form of government and to undo the damage done to it by the current commission.

The commission-manager form of government (of which Surfside’s is an example) was developed in the early 20th century as a response to the widespread corruption characteristic of city governments in the 1800s. (You may have heard of the corrupt Boss Tweed in New York City.) The idea behind our commission-manager system is to have a formal separation between elected officials, who set the policy, and a professional civil service that implements policy in a non-political way. Mayor Danzinger has taken a hatchet to our form of government, first by forcing the resignations of the town's top officials, and then by moving into an office in Town Hall and directing the work of the professional staff. Commissioners Rose and Landsman have enabled that abuse of power. The next commission needs to restore our system of government.

We also need to restore and defend the right of free speech in Surfside after two years during which residents have been thrown out of meetings, silenced, and otherwise retaliated against for exercising their constitutional right to free speech. At several commission meetings, I’ve said on the record that we are living through a civil-rights emergency under the current commission, and we need to get back to respecting constitutional freedoms in Surfside. This is especially important to me as a scholar and teacher of constitutional law.

Most importantly, Surfside’s residents deserve a Commission that they can trust. I want to give back to the town I love by being just that—a commissioner who earns, and keeps, the trust of the entire community.