Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago issued a statement Saturday condemning fake code violation notices being sent to city residents. The false flyers were reportedly designed to mimic official City of Coral Gables Code Enforcement citations on homeowners with $500 fabricated violations.
"This is nothing short of a coordinated campaign of intimidation,” Lago said in a press release. “Let me be absolutely clear: These notices are fake. They are not from the City of Coral Gables. They are part of a dishonest attempt to mislead and frighten voters.”
According to the release, residents have allegedly spotted Coral Gables Fire Union operatives associated with City Commissioners Kirk Menendez and Ariel Fernandez, including Fire Union boss David Perez, distributing the fraudulent citations to homeowners' front doors over the past several days.
And they're not exactly hiding their deeds. The operatives have been issuing the citations in a Kirk Menendez-branded golf cart.
Mayor Lago blasted the move as a "desperate and deceitful political stunt."
“This kind of behavior is a disgrace. Kirk Menendez, Ariel Fernandez, and their union backers have shown they will stop at nothing — even resorting to scare tactics and misinformation — to try and win an election,” Lago said.
“They’ve abandoned decency, ethics, and respect for our community. I will be reporting these violations to the State Attorney’s Office and the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics. This is not just a violation of trust — it may very well be a violation of the law," Lago added.
Coral Gables residents who receive a notice should discard it immediately. They also can report the incident to the City of Coral Gables Code Enforcement Department at 305-441-5777 or email CodeEnforcement@coralgables.com.
“Coral Gables deserves better than this. “We need leadership that earns support through honesty, vision, and respect for the people — not through fraud, fear, and intimidation," Lago said.
