The Recall Against Daniella Cohen Higgins: A Fight for Transparency in Miami-Dade 2025. The echo of the historical memory of Carlos Álvarez and Natacha Seijas in 2011
In South Miami-Dade, echoes of the historic 2011 recall —when voters removed Mayor Carlos Álvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas with a crushing 88% in favor— are once again resonating loudly. This time, the figure at the center of the storm is Commissioner Daniella Cohen Higgins (District 8), whose decision to support urban development projects on agricultural land has ignited a citizen-led recall movement that has already surpassed one thousand verified signatures.
Votes That Speak Louder Than Promises
During her campaign, Cohen Higgins promised to defend agricultural land and stop uncontrolled expansion into the Redland. However, official records show another reality: on July 17, 2025, the commissioner voted in favor of urbanization projects that opened the door to thousands of residential units on agricultural land, with only René García and Raquel Regalado opposing.
That vote was just one of several in 2025 where Cohen Higgins supported the developers’ agenda, contradicting her public narrative of “protecting the agricultural community.”
The Breaking Point: Votes Aligned with Urban Development
On July 17, 2025, the County Commission approved, with Cohen Higgins’ support, the transformation of acres of farmland into housing complexes. Although marketed as “workforce housing,” the initial prices far exceeded what most working families in the area can afford. To a developer without the required experience to build entire neighborhoods, as they had never undertaken such projects.
That day, only two commissioners —René García and Raquel Regalado— voted against. Cohen Higgins, despite her 2022 campaign promise to protect agriculture and halt unchecked expansion, became a promoter and supporter of several projects to rezone agricultural land into multifamily use.
The Uncomfortable Sponsorship
Adding to the inconsistency of her votes is a revealing fact: the developer who benefited organized a public event where Cohen Higgins was one of the central figures. The commissioner’s presence on a stage sponsored by the same actor she later supported at the Commission raises serious ethical questions.
Was it genuine community support, or a financed showcase to legitimize private interests?
Following the Money
The conversation about transparency would not be complete without looking at political financing.
Public campaign records on the official Miami-Dade County campaign finance portal show that Commissioner Daniella Cohen Higgins has received support through political action committees (PACs) that also received contributions from actors linked to the real estate development sector.
The sequence of facts, as reflected in official documents, raises legitimate questions for voters:
- Sponsored events: Cohen Higgins’ participation in public activities with private backing.
- PACs financed by the sector: contribution records that overlap with donors tied to developments approved at the commission.
- Commission votes: decisions that ultimately favored projects advanced by those same interests.
This is not about alleging illegality, but about pointing out a verifiable coincidence: the same names appear in events, in PACs, and in approved projects.
- 📎 Official Source: Campaign Finance Records – Miami-Dade
- https://www.transparencyusa.org
- https://www.transparencyusa.org
- https://www.transparencyusa.org
Broken Promises and Public Discontent
Community rejection has been overwhelming. Residents of Homestead and Redland, along with farmers and environmental activists, argue that the commissioner’s decision represents a betrayal of the trust placed in her.
The Recall Process
The citizen effort to remove Cohen Higgins has already reached over 1,000 verified signatures on a digital petition. To move forward legally, it must reach 4% of the district’s electorate (around 4,200 signatures), which must then be certified by the Elections Office within 30 days.
If achieved, a special election would be called within 45 to 90 days, where voters would decide whether Cohen Higgins remains in office or history repeats itself, as in 2011.
A Mirror of 2011
This case recalls the historic 2011 recall, when voters expelled Mayor Carlos Álvarez and Commissioner Natacha Seijas with 88% support. On that occasion, the people reacted against leadership that prioritized interests outside the community.
Today, the recall against Cohen Higgins represents the same struggle: reclaiming the integrity of county politics in the face of ties between elected officials and powerful private interests.
Conclusion
The movement to recall Daniella Cohen Higgins is not simply a political punishment. It is the expression of a community that feels ignored and betrayed, demanding coherence, transparency, and respect for the agricultural identity of South Miami-Dade.
History will tell whether 2025 will be remembered as the year when tractors and farms defended themselves against luxury townhomes, or if the politics of broken promises prevailed once again.
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