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Miami Dade Commissioners decline to set property tax rate
By: Matthew Haggman
Retrieved on July 28th, 2009
Retrieved from http://www.miami-herald.com/news/miami-dade/v-print/story/1155155.html
On Thursday, the Miami-Dade county commissioners were asked to set the county’s proposed property tax rate. They took the easy way out and voted to take no position at all. The commissioners left it to the Miami- Dade property appraisers to decide the preliminary tax rate. It will be detailed in notices mailed to property owners next month. The 13 member board, voted to adjourn their meeting, after they declined to set the rate themselves. A huge drop in taxable property sales values has given Miami-Dade County a budget hole estimated over $400 million. Cutting services or raising property taxes to plug in for the gap are proving extremely unpopular. “For the first time in history – at least as far as I can remember – the commission has not come up with a preliminary millage rate,” said Miami Dade Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, who voted against adjournment. “Without a doubt, we abdicated our duties.” Major Carlos Alvarez submitted his budget on the last day he is legally allowed under state law (July 15th). The commissioners who voted to end the meeting said they needed more time to study the mayor’s proposed budget. With that comes, a lot of job cuts and pay reductions. As well as, a small tax increase. “We just got the proposed budget a week ago,” said Commissioner Bruno Barreiro. “This is a $7 billion budget. We need time.”
