KISSIMMEE, Fla. – The Kissimmee City Commission is set to hold a special meeting to vote on whether to remove Mayor Jackie Espinosa from office, following a recommendation from a special prosecutor who says there is enough evidence to pursue impeachment.
The special prosecutor’s investigation stems from an ethics complaint tied to the city’s BOOST 2.0 program, a public grant initiative aimed at helping small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The investigative report cleared Espinosa of several complaints but recommended impeachment related to funds she received through the BOOST 2.0 program. According to state investigators, Espinosa and her family own several businesses in Kissimmee.
Of the first $375,000 allocated for the program, which Espinosa voted to create, the mayor received $50,000 of the first round of funds, the report states.
The report also claims that Espinosa helped her family members and tenants receive grant money.
The special prosecutor wrote, “The BOOST 2.0 program was created to help Kissimmee’s small businesses survive a pandemic, not to enrich the official who controlled it.”
Kissimmee residents are anxious to see how the commission will vote. June Reyes, a Kissimmee resident, believes Espinosa should be removed.
“Well, if the money is for the community, for the people, then it should go to the people. It’s not for personal use or anything like that. If that’s not corruption, then what is, right?” Reyes said.
“Well, any corruption by government officials, first, it needs to be investigated, of course, and then if proven, then they need to step down. Just like that.”
Others in the community believe the mayor is being unfairly targeted.
“So, honestly, I see when I see something like that, I honestly feel that she’s either being targeted because she’s not playing by the rules or something like that,” Harsper Walker said. “Good luck to you. That’s all I can say, mayor.”
When the investigative report was released, Espinosa’s attorney said the mayor plans to defend herself.
“She remains confident that a fair and impartial review of the complete record will demonstrate that impeachment is neither legally justified nor supported by the evidence,” the attorney said.
The Commission will hold the special meeting Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in the Commission Chambers at Kissimmee City Hall.