Kissimmee ethics complaints dismissed, but mayor impeachment issue remains active

Florida’s Commission on Ethics dismissed complaints against Kissimmee Mayor Jackie Espinosa and Commissioner Janette Martinez on July 24, but that state action did not resolve a separate local impeachment process involving Espinosa.

The distinction matters for Kissimmee residents and voters. The ethics complaints ended at the legal-sufficiency stage, while a special prosecutor’s report issued July 23 found probable cause on three of seven proposed impeachment counts involving Espinosa. Kissimmee’s general municipal election is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.

What the state ethics commission decided

The Florida Commission on Ethics’ July 24 public-session materials listed legal-sufficiency reviews for Complaint No. 26-082 against Espinosa and Complaint No. 26-163 against Martinez.

Spectrum News reported that commissioners voted unanimously to dismiss both complaints for lack of legal sufficiency. In practical terms, the complaints did not meet the threshold required for the state ethics process to continue. The action was not a final adjudication of every underlying factual dispute or allegation.

The complaint against Espinosa alleged that she improperly involved herself in Kissimmee Police Department personnel and administrative matters, including issues involving Deputy Chief Wilson Munoz and former City Attorney Olga Sanchez de Fuentes.

The complaint against Martinez included allegations involving the city’s Business Boost 2.0 grant program. Spectrum News reported that it accused Martinez of giving advance notice to a business with which she had a relationship and notarizing its grant application. The business received $10,000 in grant funds, according to the report.

Why the mayor’s separate matter remains active

The July 24 dismissals should not be confused with the local impeachment matter involving Espinosa. That proceeding stems from a separate city ethics complaint sent to special prosecutor Mayanne Downs by the Kissimmee City Commission.

Downs’ July 23 report found probable cause to pursue articles of impeachment on three of seven proposed counts. The allegations concern $50,000 in Business Boost 2.0 grants awarded to three family-owned businesses connected to Espinosa.

Probable cause is not a final finding of wrongdoing, impeachment or removal. Espinosa’s attorney disputed the report’s factual conclusions and legal basis, arguing that the mayor applied for a generally available relief program and that city staff determined eligibility. Spectrum News reported that the city commission would coordinate with the special prosecutor on next steps.

The report recommended no further action on four of the seven proposed counts. It also raised the possibility of referrals to law enforcement, which would be separate from any city decision on articles of impeachment or removal.

What voters should know before Aug. 18

The City of Kissimmee lists Aug. 18, 2026, as the date for its general municipal election and Nov. 3, 2026, as a possible runoff date if needed.

The election does not, by itself, decide whether Espinosa is impeached or removed. Voters will cast ballots while the separate accountability process remains unresolved, making it important to distinguish among a legal-sufficiency review, a special prosecutor’s probable-cause recommendation, formal impeachment articles and a final removal decision.

Possible next steps

No final removal decision has been reported. Spectrum News reported that if Espinosa were removed, an interim person could serve and the mayor’s seat could go before voters in 2028. That outcome depends on future action by the city and should not be treated as a scheduled election or an indication that removal will occur.

For now, the verified procedural picture is straightforward: the state ethics complaints against Espinosa and Martinez were dismissed July 24, while the separate local impeachment issue involving Espinosa remains pending.

Sources

• Florida Commission on Ethics July 24, 2026 public-session materials
• Spectrum News report on the ethics complaints
• Spectrum News report on the special prosecutor's findings
• City of Kissimmee Elections Information