South Beach needs to vote for Daniel Ciraldo Group 1 this election to stop the zoning crisis.

In 1941, as the world teetered on the edge of global war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt gave a State of the Union address that became one of the most defining moments of the 20th century. In it, he outlined Four Essential Freedoms that people everywhere in the world ought to enjoy: Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear. 

Over the last several months, Miami Beach residents and neighborhood associations have been met with a pattern of complaints and sharply worded allegations from recently elected Commissioner David Suarez. These filings and statements—often framed as ethics concerns—have cast a cloud over the work of volunteers who give their free time to improve and protect our neighborhoods.

Miami Beach is in a zoning crisis not seen since the 1970s. The Florida Legislature has taken away one of our most powerful safeguards — the residents’ right to vote on major development increases. Until Tallahassee stepped in, any significant zoning change beyond current limits required voter approval. Now that protection is gone, and neither the City of Miami Beach nor key civic groups have challenged this loss in court.