The race for Coral Gables Commission Group II has attracted a mix of experienced public servants and a newcomer, each offering distinct platforms to address the city’s ongoing challenges. With issues such as overdevelopment, traffic congestion, and public safety at the forefront, the candidates are positioning themselves to influence the city’s future. Incumbent Rhonda Anderson, long-time Planning and Zoning Board member Felix Pardo and attorney Laureano Cancio are all vying for the seat, each with a vision for the city’s growth and community well-being.
Rhonda Anderson
Rhonda Anderson was elected to the Coral Gables Commission in 2021 and appointed vice mayor in 2023. She previously served on the Coral Gables Public Safety Board, Sustainability Board, and Planning and Zoning Board. A practicing attorney, Anderson has specialized in civil and criminal litigation in South Florida for 37 years.
According to her campaign website, rhondaforcoralgables.com, Anderson has worked for nearly two decades to address issues impacting the quality of life for Coral Gables residents. Her primary platform issues include public safety, improved access and notification regarding development projects, curbing overdevelopment, traffic calming measures, and the conversion of septic to sewer systems.
Her website does not list any official endorsements (and she did not respond to an email questionnaire sent by the Gazette) but Anderson serves as a city liaison for the Coral Gables Community Foundation and Coral Gables Bar Association. She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables and the Junior League of Miami, while also sitting on the boards of the Coral Gables Garden Club and the Green Corridor P.A.C.E. District.
Felix Pardo
Felix Pardo is an architect and founder of a Coral Gables-based firm. He has lived and worked in Coral Gables for over 40 years and has served on various boards, committees, and neighborhood groups. Pardo is currently a member of the Charter Review Board and the Planning and Zoning Board. He ran for the city commission in 2005 but lost to former Commissioner Maria Anderson.
In response to questions about the major issues facing the city, Pardo cited “unbridled and incompatible development, choking traffic, and the lack of resources to meet residents’ immediate needs.” He also mentioned misdirected priorities and a lack of action on residents’ concerns. If elected, Pardo pledges to restore respect, preserve city assets, protect neighborhoods and address residents’ concerns.
For the upcoming election, Pardo’s campaign website, felixpardo.com, lists endorsements from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7, Coral Gables Professional Firefighters Association Local No. 1210, Teamsters Local Union 769, and Gables Neighbors United, the political action committee of the Coral Gables Neighbors Association.
Laureano Cancio
Laureano Cancio is a Cuban-born attorney with a law firm in Coral Gables. A 24-year resident of the city, Cancio was drawn to politics by the construction boom in the city, which he says has brought the city’s character under assault. “We must find a better balance between the needs of our community and the profit expectations of the property owners of big apartment and commercial buildings. The city does not have the adequate resources to fulfill demands on services given the increase in density in development. A critical decision must be made to either limit development or raise the taxes of companies engaged in massive construction work within our boundaries.”
Besides overdevelopment, Cancio believes the city must give greater support to the arts and that the city must do its part so that “every child in our city will be able to attend a school that is within city boundaries.”
When asked to list any endorsements he had received for his campaign, Cancio commented that the feedback “from almost every individual I have spoken to (in the Santa Maria Street Historic District where he resides) is that he is more than prepared for the job.”
