Biographies

On January 6, 2009, veteran realtor and appraiser Pedro J. Garcia officially assumed office as Miami-Dade County's first elected Property Appraiser in five decades. 

Prior to his December 16, 2008 election victory, Mr. Garcia worked in the real estate industry for 34 years. From 1974 he was a Realtor, operating his own real estate firm. He was also a Real Estate Appraiser for more than 30-years and a State-Certified General Real Estate Appraiser.  

From 2000-2002 he was the President of the Florida Chapter of the National Association of Master Appraisers. He is a Director of the Florida Association of Property Appraisers Inc. (FAPA).

He also served for ten years as a Special Magistrate with Miami-Dade County's Value Adjustment Board, the agency which adjudicates property owners' appeals against their assessments.

In the campaign leading to his election, Mr. Garcia pledged to ensure complete fairness and accuracy in the County's property assessments which, in part, determine a homeowner's level of property taxes.

His efforts since being elected have resulted in him being named 2009 Civic Leader of the Year by the Realtor Association of Greater Miami and the Beaches  and 2010 Public Servant of the Year by the Minority Chamber of Commerce. He has also been honored by the Coral Gables Good Government Committee and the by the Hispanic Association of Public Administrators.

Born in Cuba where he attended Havana Business University for two years, Mr. Garcia and his family have lived in Miami since June 1962. 

He is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the American Legion.

He and wife Amalia, married since 1959, have four daughters and 13 grandchildren. 

Mr. Garcia's hobbies are golf and fishing.