NORTH MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Miami-Dade Mayor Danielle Levine Cava wrapped up her first year in office with an address to residents held outdoors.
The mayor delivered Monday’s address virtually as a COVID-19 precaution, an issue she touched heavily on during the speech.
Speaking from a podium at Greynolds Park in North Miami Beach, Levine Cava pointed to the challenges the county has faced in the past year — from the pandemic to the deadly building collapse in Surfside.
She talked about the resilience of the community and emphasized what she called some “big accomplishments,” including the county’s economy being one of the best in the country.
“I know that Miami-Dade will thrive when all residents are treated with respect and given opportunities to prosper and succeed,” she said. “That’s the county I’ve been working to build since I was elected.”
Levine Cava praised Miami-Dade’s efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic by providing and promoting vaccinations.
“Today we lead the state in our vaccination rate, well over the national average,” she said. “This result is more than a public health milestone. It is a true logistical feat, and it would not have been possible without our Chief Medical Officer Dr. Peter Paige and our frontline health care heroes.”
The mayor also spoke to local jobs and the economy.
“We’re making historic investments in Miami-Dade’s workforce and small businesses to ensure our residents are positioned to succeed in the fastest-growing industries, from tech to healthcare to construction, agriculture and more,” she said. “We’re building bridges for the future between industry leaders and the people who power our economy.”
Levine Cava said the county has taken steps to strengthen the building code after the deadly Surfside collapse, shortening the recertification period from 40 to 30 years.
She said the county is working to reduce gun violence, pointing to statistics that show the number of shootings was cut in half during 2021.
The mayor also highlighted environmental initiatives, with plans to deal with rising sea levels, reducing fuel consumption and converting waste into energy.
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