SURFSIDE, FLA. (WSVN) - After an intense debate that extended well past midnight at Surfside’s commission meeting, a measure to censure Mayor Shlomo Danzinger has failed to pass.
Commissioner Nelly Velasquez, who had previously brought the motion forward, claimed that the mayor’s racially insensitive remark directed at her during a previous meeting warranted censure.
“In his effort to shut me down, he revealed his disdain, not only for me, but for women generally and Hispanic specifically,” Velasquez said. “The Herald even called his comments ‘racist.'”
The controversy dates back to a heated exchange during a commission meeting last month when Mayor Danzinger made a comment that many found offensive.
As discussions about term limits were ongoing, Mayor Danzinger and Commissioner Velasquez were butting heads.
“Commissioner, please stop interrupting,” said Mayor Danzinger in last month’s meeting.
The exchange of words occurred on August 2, when the mayor called out Commissioner Velasquez for disrupting his opinion on term limits. He continued to ask if someone in the meeting spoke Spanish, which drew gasps and groans from the people in attendance.
“OK, does anybody know to speak Spanish to tell her this? Because I said it like four times,” said Mayor Danzinger.
This comment was aimed directly at Commissioner Velasquez, who sponsors the resolution seeking the mayor’s censure. In response to the comment, Commissioner Velasquez expressed her offense in Tuesday night’s commission meeting.
“In his effort to shut me down, he revealed his disdain, not only for me but for women generally and Hispanics specifically,” she stated. “The Herald even called his comment racist.”
Following the incident, Mayor Danzinger doubled down on his comments in an interview with 7News but later expressed regret during the next town meeting.
“I deeply regret losing my composure, and not choosing my words more carefully,” he said.
Although the mayor made a public apology, Commissioner Velasquez said she has not received one from him directly.
During a prior meeting, a motion to censure the mayor was voted down by a 3-2 vote.
“Last month, I put in a censure of our mayor who insulted, not just myself, but all Hispanic people,” she stated.
Tuesday night’s commission meeting witnessed a resurgence of the ongoing tensions between Mayor Danzinger and Commissioner Velasquez.
“I want to say something too,” said Commissioner Velasquez. To which the mayor responded, “So wait your turn.”
Despite the controversy, Surfside Mayor Danzinger remains in office, avoiding censure after the commission’s lengthy deliberations.
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