Real estate broker Annabelle Taub hopes to replace Hallandale Beach vice mayor

Taub says vice mayor should be in jail for accepting secret gifts from developer

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Hallandale Beach Vice Mayor Bill Julian is fighting to hold on to his commission seat after a series of reports from Local 10 investigative reporter Bob Norman led to a criminal investigation against him. 

"I'm running for City Commission because I'm sick and tired of the culture of corruption in the city," Julian's challenger, Annabelle Taub, said.

Taub, a real estate broker and former paramedic, said she wants to bring ethics back to one of South Florida's most troubled cities.

"It's been going too long. I've had enough," she said.  

But the question is: Has her city had enough?

Julian was caught on audiotape talking about accepting secret gifts from a developer before he voted to approve a high-rise development at the Diplomat Golf Club.

He admitted to Local 10 News that he agreed to accept a van for his favorite charity and 300 workers for his campaign, and he is now under criminal investigation.

Julian didn't return calls for this report, and wouldn't answer any questions when Norman caught up with him at a recent commission meeting to comment on his race with Taub.

Taub said that she can't believe Julian is still in office after the corruption scandal.

"I think he should go to jail," Taub said. "When an elected official admits to soliciting and accepting a bribe from a developer, that's a crime."

But she said his reluctance to drop out of the race inspires her to run harder. 

"It's motivated me to keep going because I'm so angry about it," she said. "I'm also getting a lot of feedback from residents on a daily basis who are very angry about it."

Early voting in the Hallandale Beach vice mayor race and all other races in Broward and Miami-Dade counties begins on Monday.