Jamaican-American Leo Gilling, Miramar Commissioner Candidate, Responds After West Miramar Meet the Candidate Night Event

MIRAMAR, FL — On Wednesday, February 27, 2019, candidates for Miramar Mayor Seat 5 and Miramar Commission Seat 4 were present at the West Miramar Meet the Candidate Night Event. At the event, Miramar residents were given an opportunity to meet the candidates and listen to them in the Miramar Municipal Election Candidates’ Forum.

Leo Gilling, a candidate for Miramar Commission Seat 4, shared his vision to make Miramar a thriving and self-sustainable city. He proposed increasing self-generating revenue, without an additional tax burden for residents.

“My city, Miramar, is one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Florida. I have fallen in love with it and am enjoying the benefits of this very diverse community,” Gilling said after the West Miramar Meet the Candidate Night Event. “The campaign trail has been good to me. Speaking to residents and understanding their issues, fears, and the love they have for their city has greatly enriched my life.

 

“However, like any other city, our growth has caused several gaps. Miramar is in a budget crunch and would not be able to balance the budget for 2019 without increasing the millage rate. My platform has been to find new revenue streams for the City of Miramar, which will offset expenditure and take the burden of rising taxes off our residents.

“After saying this for nine months and observing my opponents speak on how much they want to increase spending through implementing programs, they have begun to change their tune. Interestingly, last night they spoke of dropping some of their spending programs and want to begin adopting my solutions to the number one problem our great city has, namely rising taxes.

“For the first time in these months of campaigning my three opponents made impassioned speeches about increasing revenue. One went as far as to insert plans for a movie theatre, one of the cornerstone programs I have been championing in my vision for the City of Miramar. I am glad they are listening, but I am more concerned about why it took them so long to do so.

Increased spending by funding additional programs means we are leaving revenue behind and it will take longer to catch up.

“I am an accountant. I understand development and budgets, the impact of expenses on revenue, and I can articulate it well. I have been a business owner for twenty years, a strategic planner, an educator, and a philanthropist. I bring all this to bear to the commission in the city. I am ready to serve as I have in the past thirty years and ready for the challenges to help move our city in the positive direction it has to go.”

Vote Leo Gilling for Miramar Commission Seat 4 on Election Day, March 12, 2019. Register to vote with the Broward County Supervisor of Elections on their website at www.browardsoe.org or call (954) 357-7050.

Leo Gilling is originally from Oracabess in St. Mary, Jamaica. He is a small business owner, media personality, educational advocate and writer. Gilling has decades of dedicated community service and over 20 years of business experience in accounting, cost analysis, insurance, and hospitality. He has served on Miramar’s Parks and Recreation Board, Miramar’s Sister City Exploratory Committee, the Partners for Youth Foundation Board, the Caribbean Maritime University Foundation Board, Broward Alliance for Caribbean Educators, and a member of the local Kiwanis club. Gilling is the proud father of four, and a mentor to many.

The City of Miramar is situated in southwestern Broward County, Florida and is the 3rd largest city in the County. Florida has a high population of Caribbean Immigrants.

For more information on Leo Gilling’s campaign, please visit www.leogillingformiramar.com.