Why Daniel Dietch Tops Charles Burkett, the Current Mayor

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This editorial is a bit harsh towards Burkett, but it is mainly payback for the disgraceful articles that Burkett wrote against Dietch.

Some of Dietch's policies included making the Surfside mayoral term four years instead of two, prohibiting plastic bag use, contributing $50,000 to homeless aid, and fixing dangerous potholes. What does Burkett stand for? Conservative policies such as low tax rates, free parking everywhere downtown, and "opposing all efforts to extend the terms of elected officials, or increase their pay" (which is an obvious cheap shot against Dietch).

Daniel Dietch's current job (since 2018) is as a project director at SCS Engineers, an employee-owned environmental consulting and construction firm that "designs and implements sustainable environmental solutions". Already, this proves that Dietch has a love and concern for the environment and rising sea levels in Surfside. In an interview with RISE Miami, Dietch explained that the issue of Surfside sinking in 40-60 years is a pressing one, one that he can't stop thinking about. He further described how his mayoral job was not only managing the day-to-day operations of the city; it was also to brainstorm and raise awareness for possible solutions to Surfside's crisis. On Burkett's campaign site, there is nothing about climate change.

How did Daniel Dietch get to work every day as Mayor? On his longboard, which he takes as a sustainable alternative to cars and motorcycles. Although he does not wear a helmet, he goes so slowly and has so much experience skateboarding (he's been doing it since he was a child) that he does not need one. Burkett does not use a skateboard.

Burkett is a father of one son, William Michael Burkett. Daniel Dietch, on the other hand, has two teenager sons who supported him throughout the 2020 election.

Although Daniel Dietch has liberal policies, he does not represent a specific political party in Surfside, the way governments normally work there. Instead, he tries to be a community advocate, making friends with local business owners and other residents. On his 2020 appointment of his campaign treasurer, he did not check the box for a "partisan candidate". Burkett clearly leans more toward the right than Dietch, because of his red tie and his Conservative policies such as low taxes.

For his 2018 and 2020 re-election campaigns, Dietch created unique political campaign lawn signs specific to local businesses and residents of the town. If this isn't community, I don't know what is! Charles Burkett was the Mayor of Surfside before 2010, and failed to implement any long-standing changes to the town. 

Daniel Dietch's first two-year term as Surfside mayor was in 2010. Since then, he was re-elected four times, in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018, giving him a total of ten years in office. Burkett, however, ran for mayor in 2004 and narrowly lost to Paul Novack, the longest-serving mayor in Surfside history (6 terms). He ran again in 2006 and was elected, and was re-elected in 2008. That's when Dietch came in and royally coveted the throne for ten amazing, productive years.