County Commissioner: I want Miami District 8 county to be most crypto-forward cities in the US

“I want Miami District 8 county to be one of the most crypto-forward and technology-driven cities in the US,” Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins claimed in a recent ‘Thinking Crypto’ youtube interview. Her aim to brand the city as the country’s premier crypto-hub echoes Miami’s Mayor Francis Suarez’s position.

How can we support an industry as dynamic and innovative as #Crypto? How can we make Miami Dade the #CryptoCounty? That’s what I want a countywide Crypto Task Force to explore. https://t.co/SHKg7KqsdN

— Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins (@CommishDCH) April 30, 2021

Danielle Cohen Higgins, the county commissioner whose District 8 covers parts of South Dade, recently submitted a resolution to Infrastructure, Operations, and Innovations Committee. The resolution in question aims to create a cryptocurrency task force. This particular task force, once approved, will comprise 13 members with the highest understanding of cryptocurrencies. One of the main roles of the task force would be to examine the feasibility of allowing residents to pay for their county taxes, fees, and services using digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum. She said:

“The item would establish a task force that could delve into the feasibility of using cryptocurrency in Miami-Dade County, to explore any potential benefits and pitfalls that could result from its use. It is important to explore all avenues that can support an expanding tech and startup presence to benefit our economy.”

During the interview, Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins even shared her optimism with regard to the future of cryptocurrencies. She stated:

“Crypto I think has tremendous social implications and opportunities and access point that we even haven’t begun to look into. Blockchain, Cryptos, NFTs are the future whether you’re ready for it or not.”

Furthermore, she added:

“Government needs to be more proactive than reactive.”

Having said that, this wasn’t the first endeavor towards building a crypto community in the US. In 2018, Ohio too implemented a Bitcoin payment system for its business tax-related settlements. However, the system got suspended in 2019 due to the lack of users. Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague wrote:

“Given the fact that virtually no one used the service and that it may have been implemented unlawfully, it’s quite likely that we might never see it return. I doubt anyone will care.”

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has been quite vocal regarding the same as well. Francis Suarez, not so long ago, said that he was “definitely open to exploring” Anthony Pompliano’s suggestion of allocating “1% of the city’s treasury reserves in Bitcoin.

Definitely open to exploring it.

— Mayor Francis Suarez (@FrancisSuarez) December 29, 2020