EDITORIAL: The Herald Editorial Board recommends these candidates for the Florida House (Part 1)

Oct. 25--There has always been a deluge of issues for Miami-Dade residents to confront: the lack of affordable housing, healthcare, the economy, sea-level rise are prominent among them. But this election season, the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated these challenges, made them more pressing, but also presented the opportunity for deep and enduring solutions. Here are the Editorial Board's recommendations for the Florida House, and the candidates who are best positioned to lead the state to a post-COVID world.

DISTRICT 103

Incumbent Cindy Polo, a Democrat from Hialeah who was a surprise winner two years ago, is locked in a heated race with Republican political newcomer Tom Fabricio, an insurance attorney.

Republicans view Polo's seat as flippable, but we think voters should stick with the incumbent.

Polo has long been an advocate for homeowners in sections of her district that endure mine blasting, which is damaging too many homes, she says.

It has been an uphill battle to get compensation for those homeowners, but she says she will continue to sponsor legislation to allow them to sue mining companies.

Polo cited a recent study that blamed homeowners for the property damage. "They said the homeowners slammed their doors too hard," Polo said. "That's a slap in the face."

Polo also pushed for a special session to discuss gun-control laws, but didn't receive enough votes in the House for it to proceed. She was inspired to jump into politics by the Parkland shooting and traveled to Tallahassee with students as they tried to pass gun control legislation.

Polo also said she will fight for higher wages for Florida's working class.

Polo was endorsed by SEIU, the union of healthcare professionals and public employees and said the Broward County Council of Professional Firefighters and the South Florida Police Benevolent Association support her, too.

Florida House District 103 includes portions Miami Lakes, Hialeah Gardens, Doral, Medley, Palm Springs North community and Miramar.

Her Republican opponent says Polo has not managed to pass any bills. However, she has rightly taken on powerful industries that should do better by Floridians and she should be given the chance to build consensus and continue the fight.

The Herald Editoral Board recommends CINDY POLO for Florida House District 103.

DISTRICT 105

Maureen Porras, an attorney with the nonprofit Church World Service in Doral, is a Democratic newcomer to politics, but already defeated Javier Estevez in the primary and will now face Republican David Borrero, a Sweetwater city commissioner, who edged out fellow Republican Bibiana Potestad in the primary.

They are vying for the seat left vacant by Republican Ana Maria Rodriguez, who is running for the Florida Senate.

Porras, whose job at the nonprofit is helping immigrants secure legal help, is among a group of young politicians running for office for the first time with a mission to upend the status quo. "I want to put best interests before special interests," she told the Editorial Board.

She wants to strengthen Florida's weak healthcare and unemployment systems. She told the Board that rather than raise taxes, Florida's legislators should change the corporate tax structure. She wants to "level the playing field" in terms of the taxes paid by online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores.

She also echoes broader calls for social justice, spurred by George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis this year. "Criminal-justice reform has been a pillar of my campaign." This would include ending the cash bail system and severing the school-to-prison pipeline, she told the Board. These are critical issues that must be addressed, and Porras' strong advocacy and legal training should be effective in the Republican-led House.

Borrero, too, wants to be an advocate for improving residents' quality of life, from healthcare to education to transportation.

As we said in August, for a first-time candidate, Porras seems well prepared to advocate for crucial issues, reach across the aisle and score some legislative wins for her district.

The Herald Editorial Board recommends MAUREEN PORRAS for Florida House District 105.

DISTRICT 110

This is yet another red and blue death-grip legislative race, this time for the seat being vacated by termed-out Republican House Speaker Jose Oliva.

It pits Democrat Annette Collazo, a former Miami-Dade school teacher against Republican Alex Rizo, an education consultant and former Miami-Dade schools administrator. Both Collazo and Rizo went unopposed in their respective primaries in August.

Collazo, a first-time candidate, is giving Oliva-approved candidate Rizo, who co-founded the Hialeah-Miami Lakes Republican Club, a strong challenge. Both have received healthy contributions and television ad support from their parties.

Collazo says the district, which takes in Hialeah, Miami Lakes and Country Club of Miami, has been seriously hurt by the coronavirus pandemic, especially small businesses.

To help them recover, she says that "tax credits should be given to small businesses, just as it is given to big corporations in the state." Rizo supports tax credits but is not sure about subsidies.

Collazo says the economy, education and healthcare are the main concerns in the district. She favors Medicaid expansion, which Florida Republicans, for years, have foolishly opposed. She also supports adequate public school funding and pay increases for veteran teachers.

Rizo supports educational choices, including charter schools, currently considered public schools, though many are for-profit. Rizo wants to help bring down the cost of prescription drugs, especially because of an aging population in the district.

Collazo says she is the better candidate because she has lived most of her life in the district. "I understand the blue-collar workers in the district. I identify with them." We think Collazo gets it right on the issues. The Herald Editorial Board recommends ANNETTE COLLAZO for Florida House District 110.

DISTRICT 111

Bryan Avila is probably the only South Florida legislator who was unable to campaign, not because of COVID-19, but because he was deployed by the Florida National Guard to take part in the pandemic response effort.

Avila is being challenged by frequent candidate, Democrat Ross Hancock, who seems to agree with Avila on some issues.

First elected in 2014 to represent the district that includes Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, Miami Springs and Virginia Gardens, Avila is a champion for veterans issues. He most recently sponsored a bill making it unlawful use uniforms, medals or insignia to misrepresent military service.

During the last session, he chaired the Ways & Means Committee and served on the Appropriations Committee and Gaming Control Subcommittee.

"I have worked tirelessly to address our community's growing needs. I have passed a plethora of transformational legislation ranging from enhancing oversight of blasting activities by mining companies to abolishing the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority and providing much-needed toll relief to our residents," Avila wrote the Board.

Avila has also fought to help seniors in Hialeah Gardens by getting state money to construct a physical-therapy pool in Hialeah Gardens that can help them do exercise routines, measures to restore and protect Biscayne Bay, prohibit taxpayer-funded subsidies for sports facilities, eliminate red-light cameras and remove express lanes from the Palmetto Expressway.

His opponent expressed some solid ideas, but as Avila enters his senior term as a representative, he should be able to bring home some more bacon to South Florida.

The Herald Editorial Board recommends BRYAN AVILA for Florida House District 111.

DISTRICT 112

Nicholas Duran, the Democratic lawmaker representing this district, has not let being a member of the minority party in the Florida House blunt his effectiveness. He has more than earned another term in office.

He told the Editorial Board that, as a lawmaker, he is most passionate about confronting the challenges posed by healthcare, climate change and education. True to his word, he has worked in a bipartisan, consensus-building manner to get solutions signed into law by the state's Republican governor.

Former Miami-Dade Commissioner Bruno Barreiro is challenging Duran for this seat. Barreiro, whom we did not recommend in his primary race and who did not respond to the Editorial Board's invitation to be interviewed for the general election, runs a home healthcare agency.

During his interview in advance of the primary, Barreiro said that the district needs a Republican. "It's about time for District 112 to get a representative who is in the majority party in Tallahassee, so we can get things done," he told the Board.

In reality, the Democratic incumbent already is getting things done for the district, and beyond. This past session, he got three bill passed out of the Legislature: One prevents the state from taking away Floridians' professional licenses solely because they are delinquent on students loans. This got rid of a misguided policy of depriving people of their livelihoods at the very time they most need to make money. A second bill allows perfectly good, unused and sealed medications from nursing homes and similar facilities to be redistributed to people who are uninsured or living below the poverty level. What's been happening now? "Third-party companies would grab all these drugs and burn them up," Duran told the Board.

Gov. DeSantis vetoed his third bill, which would have increased the age to use tobacco products to 21.

In addition, Duran secured millions for the district, funding important project: Miami's walkway along Biscayne Bay, that provides a green buffer from parking lots; water infrastructure upgrades, housing for LGBTQ youth who have been rejected by their families; the Key Biscayne bike lane; and enhance care for sex-trafficking victims.

The Editorial Board was disappointed that Barreiro, despite all his years on the County Commission, continued to speak in vague generalities about his goals beyond being a Republican lawmaker. That's not good enough.

The Herald Editorial Board recommends NICHOLAS X. DURAN for State House 112.

The remainder of the Editorial Board's recommendations for the Florida House will be published on Monday. The complete list already is online at miamiherald.com. Go to "Election Recommendations.

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