Joe Martinez Officially Files For Dade Mayor's Job

MIAMI-DADE (CBSMiami) – Looking toward this November's General Election, Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Joe Martinez has officially thrown his hat in the ring to run for the Mayor's job.

In a statement released Wednesday, Martinez said he had filed papers declaring his candidacy for the Mayor of Miami-Dade County.

"I followed the advice of my father to "Finish what I start". The residents of District 11 elected me to do a job. My colleagues then chose me to represent them as Chairman of the Commission. As such, I placed my personal ambitions aside for the betterment of the community," said Martinez in a statement. "However, there is and has been a void in leadership. Miami-Dade County does not need a bureaucrat running the County. What the residents of Miami-Dade County need and deserve is a leader."

It's no secret that Martinez would be filing. In March of last year he announced that he would make a run for the Mayor's office.

Current Mayor Carlos Gimenez, who won the position last year in a Special Election after Carlos Alvarez was ousted in a recall, has not said he plans to run again in November.

Martinez said as Mayor his primary objectives would be to maintain a low tax rate, streamline County processes and improve the standards of service.

"The County's success depends on the prosperity of its residents and I will continue my efforts in attracting new industries to the County in an effort to stimulate job creation in the real estate market, create a more efficient and cost effective means of public transportation, and to find ways to clean up obsolete ordinances that continue to impede and cause road blocks in small business development," said Martinez in the statement.

By announcing his candidacy, Martinez's District 11 commission seat will be vacant.

"Therefore, I encourage residents who have a passion for public service and wanting to make a difference in the community to put their name on the ballot."