Tackling pension debt, boosting public safety, expanding green spaces
City: Coral Gables
Population: 48,375
Mayor: Vince Lago, 46
How Long In Office: Lago was first elected to a four-year term in April 2021 and re-elected in 2023.
Primary Goals For 2024: Financial responsibility, safety and environmental sustainability, including paying down the pension debt, increasing the number of firefighters and police officers and increasing green spaces.
Quote: “The things that are important to me are continuing to pay down our pension debt. I’m a big believer that you can never have enough police. And we’re increasing that by 15 positions for the police officers and 15 for the firefighters over a three-year time frame. Number 3 is something that is near and dear to my heart … and that is increasing the amount of open space and parks we have in the city. We’re doing pocket parks throughout the city and that certainly has bore a lot of fruit because we bought over 10 pieces of property.”
Primary Accomplishment 2023:
Last year, Mayo Lago’s administration reduced speed limits, implemented security initiatives and created a fund to battle sea level rise.
Quote: “We reduced speed limits and the installation of further traffic calming devices within the neighborhoods. We have 51,000 residents, but over 700,000 people drive through our city every day. We also started security initiatives like CCTV cameras, but also for the first time, using a drone just to catch criminals. We have put away $4 million a year for sea level rise in a fund, and the next 25 years the goal is to have $100 million to be able to address sea level rise if it comes or doesn’t come.”
