No Mayoral Run, says Monestime

Despite calls from Florida's Democratic Party leaders to join this year's race for Mayor of Miami-Dade, current county commission chairman Jean Monestime says he will not be running.

In a public statement, Monestime said he was "greatly honored...by the encouragement I have received to take my prosperity agenda to the next highest office," he believed he could do much more "by expanding my campaign for greater prosperity as the Chairman of Miami-Dade County."

Monestime, however, expressed high policy ambitions for this year. In his statement, he outlined his strategy to "reduce the income inequality gap." Proposed initiatives include expanding services eligible for Living Wage Ordinance healthcare coverage, and a "Bank-On Miami" program to improve public access to traditional banking. He also plans to reduce transit fares for workers, as well as launch a pilot program providing additional daycare subsidies for families. though not specifying what particular strategies he's planning to take, Monestime also cited gun violence against local youth as a major priority this year, in response to the recent surge of drive-by shootings killing children in the county.

As the county’s first every Haitian-American Chairman, Monestime would have challenged -- if he elected to enter the race -- incumbent Mayor Carlos Gimenez and fellow Republican contender, county school district board member, Raquel Regalado.