Miami-Dade commissioners pass new $14.26B budget

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — Commissioners approved Miami-Dade County’s $14.26 billion budget while keeping operating property tax rates flat at 4.57 mills, after a meeting from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center in downtown Miami.

While the county’s new budget kept public bus service before 6 a.m., it did not bridge the gap between Miami-Dade’s Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz’s request and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s proposal for commissioners.

Cordero-Stutz told commissioners that she was concerned that Levine Cava’s proposal, which includes about $1 billion to fund the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, did not meet the county’s law enforcement agency’s staffing needs.

“The proposed budget is not a responsible investment in public safety,” Cordero-Stutz said, adding MDSO currently operates below the Florida average.

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During the process, Levine Cava told commissioners that property value growth had “returned to more moderate levels,” the cost of living continued to rise, and the county needed to prepare for the possibility of statewide property tax reform.

“At least these $11.5 million gets them to their contractual obligations,” Anthony Rodriguez, the commission’s chairman, said about adding to the sheriff’s budget.

Commissioner Vicki L. Lopez, who represents District 5, said she fully supported increasing the sheriff’s budget. Commissioner Keon Hardemon said it was likely that the sheriff was still going to appeal to the state, because it was likely not enough.

“I want to be supportive, but I just think that the money could be better served in other ways,“ said Hardemon, who represents District 3.

Rodriguez said he wanted commissioners to allocate $5 million to the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, a marketing organization, to “reinvest” in the community.

Commissioners Danielle Cohen Higgins and Oliver G. Gilbert, III, supported it. Commissioners Raquel A. Regalado, Micky Steinberg, and Juan Carlos “JC” Bermudez opposed it.

Commissioners plan to reconsider raising funds to avoid the budget’s cuts on the late-night public bus service.

Watch the meeting

Related proposed budget

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