Two-term
incumbent Winston Barnes is challenged by Alejandro
''Alex'' Casas. Both candidates are well qualified.
Mr. Casas, 60, has
run for the commission before -- and always mounts a
credible campaign. He is a corporate sales director and
has served as chairman of the city's Economic
Development Advisory Board.
Mr. Barnes, 60,
a radio talk-show host, has grown during his years on
the commission and has a command of the issues that is
heartening to see.
Voters can't go
wrong in this race. That said, we're tipping toward the
incumbent, Mr. Barnes, who, like Commissioner Carl Lanke,
also champions green initiatives. In March, the city
will celebrate bicycle month with a bicycling marathon
-- Pedaling Past the Pump -- that is largely Mr. Barnes'
doing.
He also
persuaded city staff to stop inundating commissioners
with paper documents when they could instead use laptops
to reduce paper waste at City Hall.
One of Mr.
Barnes' goals is to push for the redevelopment of the
historic section of Miramar that would be part of the
state Department of Transportation's improvements along
the State Road 7 corridor.
When it comes to
the budget, Mr. Barnes says the city will survive the
recession without deep cuts. He anticipates that Miramar
will find new revenue in private use of the new Ansin
Sports Complex and the Cultural Arts Complex.
Mr. Barnes has
fiscal-conservative tendencies in some areas. In his
first term, for example, he voted against his commission
salary increase, and the difference has added up to a
city scholarship fund of more than $19,000.
For Miramar City
Commission Seat 3, The Miami Herald recommends
WINSTON F. BARNES