Gables candidates report over $334,000 in donations, loans
Candidates in the Coral Gables City Commission elections raised $124,370 for their campaigns in the final quarter of 2012 for a total of $334,111, according to documents recently filed at the City Clerk’s office.
The field now consists of eight residents vying for three seats, which voters will decide on April 9.
In the mayor’s race, City Commissioner Ralph Cabrera received $6,400 in campaign donations from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2012 for a total of $39,090, according to his latest campaign treasurer’s report. Elected to the commission in 2001, Mr. Cabrera cannot seek re-election under the city’s term-limits ordinance.
Seeking a second two-year term, Mayor Jim Cason has now raised $71,050 since filing for re-election in March 2012. That total includes $24,170 that came in from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, according to his latest treasurer’s report.
Three candidates are running for the Group II seat being vacated by Commissioner Cabrera:
• Marlin Ebbert, a longtime community volunteer who serves on a number of arts, education and civic organizations. She reported $17,100, including a loan she made of $10,000, in her first campaign treasurer’s report.
• Ross Hancock, communications director for the non-profit American Welding Society. He filed on Dec. 8 to run and reported a $5 contribution in his first treasurer’s report.
• Vince Lago, an executive in the construction management and design industry and a member of the Coral Gables Planning and Zoning Board. He raised $14,640 in the last three months of 2012 for a total of $106,313, according to his latest treasurer’s report.
Three candidates hope to succeed Commissioner Maria Anderson (Group III), who is also termed out:
• Pat Keon, a member of the Coral Gables Planning and Zoning Board and longtime civic volunteer. Ms. Keon reported $54,900, including a loan she made of $30,000, in her initial treasurer’s report.
• P.J. Mitchell, a partner, shareholder and co-founder of the law firm of Mitchell & West, L.L.C. He filed to run on Jan. 4; his first campaign treasurer’s report will be due on March 8.
• Mary Young, director of the University of Miami School of Business Administration’s Ziff Graduate Career Services Center and a former chair of the Coral Gables Community Foundation. She received $7,155 in donations in the fourth quarter for a total of $45,653, according to her treasurer’s report.
Municipal voters will go to the polls April 9 to fill the three seats; voter registration deadline is March 9.
The mayor serves a two-year term at an annual salary of $34,736, while the commission seats are four-year terms at $28,225.60 annually.
For more election details, including all campaign treasurer’s reports, visit the Meet the Candidates section of GablesHomePage.com













