Tomás Regalado

Tomás Regalado is a Cuban-American politician and former broadcast journalist born in Havana, Cuba on May 24, 1947. He arrived in Miami in 1962 as part of Operation Peter Pan. He built a career in Spanish-language radio and television journalism before entering politics. He served on the Miami City Commission from 1996 to 2009 and as the 42nd Mayor of Miami from 2009 to 2017. In 2018 he was appointed by President Trump as Director of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting. He won the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser race in November 2024 with 57% of the vote, replacing Pedro Garcia who retired after 16 years. This is the first time in over 60 years that Miami-Dade residents directly elect their Property Appraiser.

The Property Appraiser of Miami-Dade County is responsible for assessing the annual taxable value of all real estate and tangible personal property in the county. These assessments determine property tax bills for every homeowner and business in Miami-Dade. The office also administers exemptions including the Homestead Exemption, Senior Exemption, and Veterans Exemptions. Property taxes account for approximately 37% of Miami-Dade County's $8 billion annual budget. As of 2025 this is an independently elected constitutional office, no longer reporting to the county mayor or commissioners.