As the recall against her gains steam, North Bay Village Mayor Corina Esquijarosa continues to have personal financial problems. This past July 18, Capital One Bank filed a lawsuit against her in Miami-Dade Circuit Court alleging she owes a $3,859 unpaid credit card bill. The complaint gives more ammunition to the group of residents called Citizens for Full Disclosure who want to oust Esquijarosa from office.
They mounted the recall after she was busted claiming a homestead property tax exemption on a Miami condo she doesn't live in and because she failed to note rental income from the condo and another unit she owned on her public financial disclosure statement.
Esquijarosa also failed to put down a default judgement against her as a result of losing one of her rental properties to foreclosure. Last month, the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser filed a lien against the mayor and her husband for owing $3,109 in back taxes she owes the county as a result of her falsely claiming a homestead exemption.
In her response against the recall petition, Esquijarosa -- who works as a senior project representative for Miami's Public Facilities Department for a $98,000 annual salary and benefits package -- claims she made a "clerical error" and did not intentionally deceive the county.
Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.
