Bruce Baldwin is running for the office of Mayor of South Miami.
Bruce Baldwin’s family arrived in Miami in 1910. He moved to South Miami in 2015. He is a graduate of Coral Gables Senior High School and the University of Florida School of Law.
Throughout his law career, he has worked to protect the public as he litigated consumer and commercial disputes. Currently, he works as an attorney at Debt Defense Law. In addition, he is a member of the National Association of Consumer Advocates.
Baldwin has been a board member of Biscayne Bay Kiwanis, Past President of Tropical Pioneers, member of the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, and is involved with History Miami. Baldwin is a father of two sons who attend Miami Country Day School in Miami Shores and in his spare time, he enjoys tennis and sailboat racing.
1. What prompted you to run for office?
“For the better part of the last 10 years, South Miami government leadership has acted as though it’s running a social science experiment. ‘We’re not lab rats,’ I thought. Rather than treating South Miami as an experiment, I began to think, we need good, old fashioned, responsible government. While science and technology are important, I entered the race for mayor with the belief that close attention to the nuts and bolts of running a competent, responsible government far outweighs using government as a vehicle for interesting, fashionable causes.”
2. What do you think the most important or urgent issues are for the City of South Miami?
“These are amongst my priorities in no particular order. Downtown South Miami has been dying and that needs to stop. If there were more residences in the downtown area, for example, there would simply be more reliable, repeat consumers for local businesses. And once there are more successful downtown businesses, more consumers from outside South Miami would come and shop here more often. Needless (expensive) litigation has been a hallmark of South Miami government for too long. I believe litigation should only be used as a last resort. My experience has been that those who rush to court – especially those spending other people’s money – are more interested in getting attention than actually solving a problem. Centralized sewage is an issue that many of the hundreds of South Miami Residents I have spoken with have brought up. People are simply tired of dealing with septic tanks. Although the process of hooking homes to central sewage has begun, it is moving too slowly and needs to be accelerated. Public safety is an obvious concern for everyone. I applaud the South Miami Police Department for its vigilance and professionalism. I will support the Police rather than meddle or play politics with them. Real estate development is a touchy subject in South Miami. I understand that. I will support real estate development that serves to better South Miami while heeding concerns of South Miami residents as to undue impacts or encroachments on residential neighborhoods.”
3. Why do you think you are the best person for the job?
“I have not been a creature of City Hall. I am also not beholden to any political party. As a longtime litigator, I am accustomed to presenting my case and abiding by a judge’s rulings.
This is case, South Miami residents are the judges. While I might believe my ideas are good and sound, I won’t impose my will as though I always ‘know best.’ It’s best to be wary of anyone who thinks he or she is the ‘smartest person in the room.’ Knocking on doors and speaking to fellow South Miami residents has been a very enjoyable education for me and, if elected, I will not stop learning.”
His campaign website is https://www.brucebaldwinformayor.com/
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