Name: Niccole Pazos
Campaign website: niccolepazos.com
Date and place of birth: 03/04/2984, Plantation, Florida
In your opinion, is your city generally on the right track or wrong track, and why or why not?
I believe Sunrise is a great city, but I also believe we have some opportunities for improvement.
I’ve lived in Sunrise for over 20 years, I’ve raised my family here, built my businesses here, and served this community for many years. I know what makes Sunrise special, but I also hear the concerns of our residents that I also share.
I believe we need to put residents back at the forefront. Public safety needs to be a priority. We need to be responsible with taxpayer money, be more transparent, and make sure residents have a real voice in the decisions that affect them.
I’m not running because I think Sunrise is a bad city. I’m running because I love this city, and I believe we can do better. I want to be an integral part of leadership that listens, asks tough questions, stands up for residents, and puts the people of Sunrise first.
List in order of importance the three most important issues in the city and briefly explain what you would do about each.
1. Public Safety
Public safety is my number one priority. Residents should feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods, and on our roads. I want to see a stronger, more visible police presence in our community, support our officers, and make sure we are using our resources where they actually make a difference. I also want to address traffic safety because that is personal to me.
2. Transparency and Responsible
Spending Residents work hard for their money, and the city has a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars. I would ask the tough questions, continue to look closely at how taxpayer money is being spent, and push for greater transparency and accountability. I believe residents deserve to know where their money is going and why.
3. Putting Residents First
Too often, residents feel like their voices aren’t being heard until it is time for an election. I want to change that. I would make it a priority to listen to residents, communicate with our neighborhoods, and make sure their concerns are part of the conversation before decisions are made. I want our seniors, veterans, families, homeowners, and small businesses to know that they have someone advocating for them at City Hall.
Do you support or oppose Amendment 3, and why?
I understand the intent behind Amendment 3 because so many homeowners want relief from property taxes. On paper, it sounds very good, and I do believe there is a need to find ways to make homeownership more affordable.
At the same time, I think we have to be realistic about what happens when cities lose a significant source of revenue. Those services still have to be paid for. We could potentially see increases in things like recreation fees, gym memberships, senior center programs, or reductions in community activities and services.
For Sunrise, I believe we are in a better position than some communities because we are not simply a bedroom community. We have a strong business infrastructure and commercial tax base that gives us additional revenue sources. Because of that, I believe Sunrise can adjust and continue providing the services our residents depend on, although there will likely be some adjustments that we will have to make.
My bigger concern is for bedroom communities that rely much more heavily on residential property taxes. Those communities could face much more difficult choices when it comes to maintaining services, programs and amenities.
So my position is that I understand the desire for property-tax relief, but I also believe we have to be mindful of the unintended consequences. If Amendment 3 passes, cities will have to be very strategic about how we manage our budgets, protect public safety and preserve the quality of life our residents expect.
If you are elected and Amendment 3 passes, you will have to reduce services or raise other fees. Can you cite a specific city program or service that is wasteful or unnecessary?
If Amendment 3 passes, I believe we have to take a very serious look at what the city is spending money on and make sure our priorities are in the right order.
One area I would absolutely look at is public art. I understand that some people enjoy public art, but when we are talking about potentially having to reduce services or increase fees on residents, I have a hard time justifying spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on sculptures and other artwork while we have other needs in our community. For example, the city has approved public art projects costing $125,000 per sculpture, and more recently approved $40,500 to rent 11 sculptures for one year, not including installation.
To me, that’s a question of priorities. I would rather see those dollars go toward public safety, our seniors, our parks and recreation programs, or other services that directly impact our residents.
I would also be much more mindful about how we give taxpayer dollars to nonprofits. I believe in supporting organizations that are doing good work in our community, but there should be accountability. I would want to know exactly what we are funding, who is benefiting, what the measurable impact is, and whether that funding is something the city truly needs to provide.
I’m not saying we eliminate everything that isn’t essential. I’m saying that if we’re asking residents to accept fewer services or higher fees, then City Hall needs to be willing to look at its own spending first. We should be cutting waste before we start cutting services that residents actually use.
How would you assess your city’s ability to manage growth, development and related issues such as traffic, noise, pollution and demands on city infrastructure?
I think Sunrise has done a good job managing growth overall, but I also think we have to be very careful about how we continue to develop.
Growth can be a good thing for our city. It brings businesses, jobs and additional revenue, but we have to make sure our infrastructure can keep up with it. We can’t approve development and then worry about the traffic, roads, drainage, noise and other impacts afterward.
Traffic safety is especially important to me because of my own experience. I was involved in a serious car accident, and it changed my life. I don’t want us to wait until there is a serious problem before we address traffic and roadway safety.
As a Commissioner, I would want development decisions to look at the whole picture — traffic flow, road capacity, public safety, drainage, noise, environmental impact and the quality of life for the residents who already live in those neighborhoods.
I also think we need to continue attracting businesses because Sunrise is not simply a bedroom community. Our business infrastructure is an important part of our financial stability. But growth needs to be smart and responsible. We should be asking, Does this development make sense for Sunrise, and does our infrastructure have the capacity to support it?
My goal isn’t to stop growth. It’s to make sure we grow responsibly and in a way that benefits both our residents and our city as a whole.
What single factor most distinguishes you from your opponent and why?
I believe what distinguishes me is that I’m not new to serving this community. I’ve been a Sunrise resident for over 20 years, I’ve raised my family here, built my businesses here, and spent years advocating for people in our community.
I’ve never needed a title to serve. Whether it was helping bring Text-to-911 to Florida, helping secure funding for the AngelSense program for our special-needs residents, supporting our police, helping families in need, or advocating for small businesses, I’ve always believed that if I see a need, I should do something about it.
I’m also not afraid to ask the hard questions. I believe being a Commissioner means being willing to challenge spending, demand transparency, listen to residents, and put their interests ahead of politics.
For me, this isn’t about getting a position. It’s about continuing the work I’ve already been doing, but in an official capacity, and making sure the residents of Sunrise have someone who will truly advocate for them.
List in reverse chronological order colleges or universities attended with years of attendance and degrees.
University of Phoenix — AS, Business Management- 2008
Miami Dade College — ASL Interpreter Training Program
List in reverse chronological order your work history for the past 15 years.
2024–Present — Momentum Business Consulting & Solutions — Owner / Grant Writer / Nonprofit Consultant
2021–Present — Five Star Elite Trading — Co-Owner with my husband
2009–Present — Pazos Sign Language Interpreting — American Sign Language Interpreter
2009–Present — The Bridge Outreach for Deaf & Hard of Hearing — Deaf Advocate
Have you ever been a party to a lawsuit, including bankruptcy or foreclosure? If so, provide details of the case and disposition.
Yes Pazos v. Guzman, et al., Case No. CACE-26-010548 — voluntarily dismissed without prejudice; case disposed by the court.
United States Bankruptcy Court Southern District of Florida Case number: 21−12498−SMG Discharged 6/16/2021
Have you ever been charged or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, including an adjudication of guilt withheld? If so, provide charges, dates and terms of sentence.
No.
Why should voters elect you instead of your opponent(s)?
I believe voters should elect me because I have a proven record of serving this community, not just talking about it. I’ve lived in Sunrise for over 20 years. I’ve raised my family here, built my businesses here, and spent years advocating for the people in this community.
I’m not someone who decided to get involved because I wanted a political title. I’ve been doing this work for years. From helping bring Text-to-911 to Florida, to helping secure funding for the AngelSense program for our special-needs residents, to supporting our police, families, seniors, veterans and small businesses, I have always believed that when I see a need, I should do something about it.
I’m also willing to ask the hard questions and have the difficult conversations. I will fight for public safety, protect taxpayers, look closely at how our money is being spent, and make sure residents have a voice in the decisions being made at City Hall.
Most importantly, I care deeply about Sunrise. This is my home. My family lives here. I’m not running to become a politician; I’m running because I believe I can make a difference and continue the work I’ve already been doing for this community.
I’m asking residents to trust me with the opportunity to serve them in an official capacity.