Miami Voters Embrace Change – Again - Coconut Grove Spotlight

Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo won the change he sought at the ballot box on Tuesday. So, what’s next on his agenda?

Miami Commissioner Damian Pardo scored a pair of election victories this week when City of Miami voters backed two of his ballot issues: a change in the city’s election calendar and a proposed public-private partnership to save Miami Marine Stadium.

Nearly 60% of voters agreed to move municipal elections to even-numbered years, beginning in 2034, to coincide with state and federal elections. Pardo had pushed for the change, saying the move would boost voter turnout and save the city money.

The lopsided vote locks in place a second piece of Pardo’s reform agenda. The first piece of that agenda – lifetime term limits for city politicians – was approved by voters last November. At the time, Pardo described even-year elections as his next priority.

The road to victory on Tuesday was not without controversy, however. Pardo had sought to change the city’s election calendar in 2025 without voter approval – a move that backfired spectacularly, with the public and in court.

Pardo changed direction after that rebuke – a decision endorsed by voters this week.

One important distinction between the two efforts: Pardo’s first attempt to change the election calendar would have allowed sitting commissioners to stay in office for one additional year. The change approved by voters on Tuesday will subtract a year in office for the city candidates elected in 2031 and 2033.

The second ballot issue championed by Pardo – Miami Marine Stadium – passed by a lopsided margin as well. Nearly 70% of voters approved of the city’s proposed deal with Global Spectrum (Oak View Group) to resurrect the stadium as an event venue.

The Spotlight caught up with Pardo on election night to talk about the ballot results and his priorities going forward. After the interview, Pardo reached out to the Spotlight to highlight another City Hall reform adopted during his tenure – the appointment of the city’s first inspector general in 2024.

The questions and answers below have been edited for clarity.

How are you feeling tonight?

“We couldn’t be happier. I think this is a special moment. I have very personal memories of Miami Marine Stadium. I’m sure many other people in Miami do, too. Putting that aside, it’s what this means for the future. We are bringing something (back) to our city that has the opportunity to be an iconic global venue for future generations.”

That’s not technically political reform, but it is moving something forward that was stuck for a long time.

“Historic preservation has been a big part of my reform agenda. If you think about it, we did the Olympia Theater. We helped with the Coconut Grove Playhouse. We helped with Dade Heritage Trust, moving the (Jackson Medical) house into Coconut Grove. We helped with the Flagler cottage. So, we’ve actually done a tremendous amount of historic preservation within the district. It has been a big priority.”

What’s next?

“We’re going to try to preserve Miami City Hall. We’re going to try to keep it as City Hall, for the commission chambers, the elected offices, and for the mayor.”

(Pardo then segued into a discussion about the state’s Live Local Act and the county’s RTZ zoning, both of which allow developers to bypass the city’s zoning controls to pack more housing into taller buildings.)

“We have been trying very hard to find a way to minimize Live Local’s impact on NCDs, historic neighborhoods, (possibly through) litigation. I mean, we asked the city attorney to look at that. It is a big challenge… We are still litigating against RTZ zoning, which is the county. That was in mediation, and we’re continuing that litigation. That is just as damaging as Live Local.”

Do you regret your effort to delay the 2025 election until 2026, without seeking voter approval? Was that a rookie mistake?

“Absolutely not. It was not a rookie mistake. Our city attorney (and) outside constitutional attorneys that reviewed it, they were certain. They were like, absolutely. And other cities had done it. The city of North Miami had done it. They added a year and a half to their term. Nobody balked, but they’re not the City of Miami.”

“Regrettably, we could have had it (even-year voting) in 2026… but we have to wait until 2034, because that’s the way the sausage is made. We had a bad court ruling.”

Do you think it’s ironic that even-year voting – a change that’s intended to increase voter turnout – was approved in a low-turnout election?

“Yes, I do see that as very, very ironic, but I think that also it’s a testament to how strongly people feel about lowering the expenses for elections, having more people vote, and having an election that is less open to manipulation. I think it’s kind of a common-sense thing, and I think that’s why it won overwhelmingly.”

Would you support expanding the City Commission from five to nine members, if the Stronger Miami petition campaign is placed on the ballot?

“I wouldn’t support nine. When I ran (in 2023) I thought seven was something interesting to look at. But now having been in office, I’m not sure I would support seven.”

“I think nine seats is difficult to absorb at a time when people don’t want to expand government. They don’t want more politicians. They don’t want to spend more money, you know, in legislative offices. So, I think those are the challenges with it. I also think, people assume that they’re going to have more representation. As an example, if I was the Coconut Grove commissioner and Coconut Grove just had me as their commissioner, and I was one of nine, I’m not sure folks in Coconut Grove understand that it diminishes that power significantly. Right now, Coconut Grove is the dominant influencer and 20% of everything that happens in the city of Miami.”

Editor’s Note: Full Disclosure. Mel Meinhardt, the publisher of the Spotlight, is a civic activist working to advance the Stronger Miami petition drive. He was not involved in any aspect of this story.