David M. Singer, a former Palmetto Bay Village Council member and certified public accountant, is seeking the mayor's seat in the Nov. 3 election. Singer is running to replace term-limited Mayor Karyn Cunningham, according to Political Cortadito.

Singer said he is running because the village is "at a critical crossroads." He cited what he described as unnecessary division and a lack of accountable leadership at Village Hall, according to his Miami Herald questionnaire response. The nonpartisan race also includes Karen Baez-Wallis and Tamara Mourino, whom we profiled in a separate candidate report.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Palmetto Bay Village Mayor
  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Ballot status: Certified, according to BallotReady election data
  • Registration and qualification: Registered as a candidate on Feb. 21, 2025, and qualified on Aug. 4, 2026, according to the village's registered-candidates page
  • Residence: Lifelong Palmetto Bay resident, according to Singer. He said he attended Coral Reef Elementary, Palmetto Junior High and Palmetto Senior High School.
  • Education: Bachelor of science in business from Florida State University; certificate of accounting from the University of Miami, according to Singer
  • Professional licenses: Florida CPA license and Florida Realtor license, according to Singer
  • Professional memberships: Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and International Council of Shopping Centers, according to Singer

Experience and public service

Singer held Palmetto Bay Village Council Seat 2, winning election in 2016 and 2020, according to the Miami Herald.

In the private sector, Singer served as chief operating officer and chief financial officer at Berkowitz Development Group from 1998 to 2023, according to BallotReady. He has been president of Singer Real Estate Consulting since 2023, according to the same source. Singer said he previously worked as a public auditor at Kenneth Leventhal & Company.

He also said he serves on the executive board of directors of Real Estate Education & Research at Florida State University.

On the issues

Fiscal accountability and leadership: Singer said the most pressing issue facing Palmetto Bay is "a breakdown in fiscal accountability and stable, focused leadership at Village Hall." He said that when government loses focus on core responsibilities, services suffer, including how the village handles growth, traffic, public safety and park maintenance.

Qualifications: Singer said his council experience and background as a CPA and finance professional set him apart. He said he brings fiscal discipline that is rare in municipal politics and is not learning on the job.

Campaign platform: Singer's campaign website lists five priorities: restore accountability and transparency, restore fiscal discipline, restore public safety as a top priority, restore stability at Village Hall, and restore smart growth and quality of life. His campaign slogan is "Restore Leadership. Restore Palmetto Bay."

The election is Nov. 3, 2026.