One year ago, I walked into County Hall with a clear promise: I would work for you, fight for you, and never forget who sent me there.
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That promise has guided every decision I have made.
This job is personal. I show up each day thinking about the people I represent. The mother trying to keep her home as costs rise. The senior worried about being priced out of the neighborhood they helped build. The small business owner doing everything right and still feeling squeezed by taxes and permits.
That is who I work for. And that is why I approach this role with a simple principle: government must know its limits.
Your home is not a revenue source. Your success is not an excuse for higher taxes. Families are not an open checkbook for government.
As co-chair of the Intergovernmental and Economic Impact Committee, I have made fiscal responsibility a priority, pushing for smarter decisions, stronger oversight, and policies that respect taxpayer dollars at every level of government.
When proposals came forward that failed to provide real relief, I voted no. When contracts did not make sense, I challenged them and delivered results, including negotiating down millions in unnecessary costs, like reducing a sargassum removal contract by $3 million.
And when we identified more than 120,000 property tax bills that cost more to process than they generated, we eliminated them. Government should never spend more to collect than what it takes from you.
We need to keep cutting costs, while working on improving people’s lives in ways they can feel.
We advanced Families on the Fly at Miami International Airport to create dedicated screening lanes for families with young children. We launched the Expectant Mothers Parking Permit program so women can safely access essential services during pregnancy.
And through a special initiative, we partnered with Jackson Health System to provide free mammogram screenings to women in our community, removing barriers to early detection and care.
We also focused on public safety where it matters most. We pushed for improvements in emergency response times and strengthened coordination across agencies, because when someone calls 911, every second matters.
Alongside Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez, we raised concerns about the misuse of humanitarian licenses that allowed luxury goods to flow through our community and reach the Cuban regime. Working with our congressional delegation, including María Elvira Salazar, Carlos Giménez, and Mario Díaz-Balart, we pushed for action.
And action came. President Donald J. Trump took decisive steps that aligned with what we were fighting for and moved to close that loophole. That happened because we were willing to lead and demand accountability.
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Here at home, I also called for a full review of the county’s electric bus fleet when performance concerns surfaced. If residents are paying for something, it needs to work. No excuses.
Just as important is making sure people can actually reach their government. That is why we brought services directly into the community through weekly mobile office hours every Monday and Wednesday. This year, we held 15 town halls, attended more than 200 community events, and helped thousands of residents navigate real issues, from property tax exemptions to permitting and neighborhood concerns. Through our Knocking with Natalie program, we went door-to-door listening to residents, identifying problems block by block, and getting results.
We are also delivering visible improvements across our neighborhoods, from a new playground at San Jacinto Park to resurfaced roads, speed humps, and neighborhood cleanups that make our streets safer, cleaner, and better for families. These may seem like basic things, but they matter. They are the difference between government talking about service and residents actually seeing it outside their front door.
This year has also been about bringing people together. Through Flags Across Miami-Dade, families across District 6 are proudly displaying the American flag in their neighborhoods.
As a member of the Miami-Dade 250: We Are America Advisory Committee, I am proud to help lead our community’s effort to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary. At a time when everyone is trying to divide us, we are choosing unity, pride in our country, and a shared belief in the opportunity that brought so many of our families here.
And we are just getting started.
This is not about one year. It is about building something that lasts. A government that respects your money. A county that protects your ability to stay in your home. A community where families can build a future with confidence.
That is the standard. That is what you deserve. And with your support, that is exactly what I will keep fighting for.
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