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Pay Your Property TaxesHonorable Dariel Fernandez was officially sworn in as the newly elected Miami-Dade Tax Collector during a vibrant and well-attended ceremony held on January 13 at the Milander Auditorium in Hialeah, FL. This historic occasion also marked the swearing-in of two other newly elected officials: Tomas Regalado as Property Appraiser and Alina Garcia as Supervisor of Elections.
The ceremony was presided over by Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo, with U.S. Senator Rick Scott administering the oath of office to the elected officials.
The swearing-in of Fernandez, Regalado, and Garcia represents a significant milestone in Miami-Dade County’s history. These positions were established following a 2018 amendment to the Florida Constitution, that granted County voters the power to elect these key officers for the first time in over 60 years, replacing the prior system where the Mayor of Miami-Dade appointed these roles.
A visibly humbled Dariel Fernandez was joined by his parents, his wife, and two daughters during the ceremony. In his remarks, Honorable Fernandez expressed heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support from the community and pledged to serve with transparency and diligence. “I am deeply grateful to God for His guidance and blessings during this special time. I want to thank the residents of Miami-Dade County for their support and everyone who has joined me here today. I promise to always put people first,” Fernandez said.
As Tax Collector, Fernandez assumes responsibility for vital local government finance functions, including the collection of real and personal property taxes, issuance of local business tax receipts, and processing motor vehicle transactions such as titles and registrations. Under his leadership, the Tax Collector's Office will also take on the administration of Miami-Dade County's driver's license offices and state identification cards, services previously handled by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
One of Fernandez’s key priorities is enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of services to all residents, especially vulnerable population. "My goal is to make our services more accessible and customer-friendly for all. For too long, residents had to come to us, but now, for the first time, we will bring services to you," he explained. "In the next year, we will take over the nine driver's license offices in Miami-Dade County. These offices will be better staffed, with updated technology and shorter wait times. We are also working on bringing services to our homebound seniors and individuals with disabilities, so they don’t have to travel far." He added.
The ceremony was attended by a wide range of State and local government officials, law enforcement, business, and community leaders who celebrated the new chapter in Miami-Dade’s governance. The newly elected officials reaffirmed their commitment to serve the public with integrity, transparency, and dedication.
Under the leadership of Dariel Fernandez, the Miami-Dade Tax Collector’s Office is set to enter a new era of enhanced responsiveness and efficiency. With a focus on technological innovation, facility upgrades, and the expansion of office locations, residents of both incorporated and unincorporated Miami-Dade County, will soon benefit from a safer, faster, and more efficient experience when conducting business with the Tax Collector’s Office.