Miami Mayoral Candidate June Savage Discusses Housing, Public Safety, and City Budget

Vision for Miami

• 🎯 June Savage aims to be the next Miami Mayor to help the city and its residents by assembling a team of intelligent individuals for future decision-making.
• 🔑 Her background includes 25 years in real estate and a father who was a general contractor, providing a foundation for understanding housing issues.

Tackling Housing Affordability

• 🏠 Savage proposes purchasing or utilizing city properties for mixed-income housing, with retail on the lower levels and residential units above.
• 📉 She believes the government must be involved, and that reducing day-to-day expenses and homeowner taxes is crucial, rather than solely focusing on interest rates.
• 💰 A key strategy is to reduce the city's budget, citing over $2.3 million spent on commissioner salaries and employees, and excessive benefit packages, to lower taxes for homeowners.

Modernizing City Services

• 🤖 Savage plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence into the permitting process to create an "AI expediter" that simplifies the excessive paperwork for businesses and residents.
• 💡 This AI system would guide users through necessary steps, reducing the need for in-person visits to building departments and modernizing the overall system.

Enhancing Public Safety

• 🚨 Savage highlights a deficit in police officers and early retirements, stating that safety and security are paramount for the city's prosperity.
• 🤝 She aims to improve morale within the police department as a critical step in addressing public safety concerns.

Addressing Political Influence and 'Dynasty Families'

• 🗣️ Savage dismisses criticism from the Miami New Times as politically motivated, asserting her long history as an activist working on issues like pedestrian safety and closing bars.
• 👑 She calls for an end to "dynasty families" in Miami politics, naming the Regalado, Suarez, and Portilla families, advocating for fresh faces and new ideas.

Combating Homelessness

• ❤️ Savage suggests making exceptions for organizations like Camila's House to build on property and addressing the issue of empty beds in shelters by having the city cover the cost.
• 🛠️ She advocates for rehabilitating homeless individuals back into society through job training programs in trades like electricians and plumbers, similar to initiatives by Home Depot.

Final Pitch to Voters

• 💰 Savage pledges to reduce city expenses by scrutinizing the budget line by line, citing a $265,000 salary for a new CRA executive as an example of excessive spending.
• 💖 She positions herself as a "local hometown girl" committed to fighting against the undue influence of political insiders.