SECOND BUDGET HEARING

. >>. >>commissioner cohen higgins: >>senator garcia: >>commissioner gilbert: >>commissioner gonzalez: >>commissioner lopez: >>commissioner milian orbis: >>commissioner regalado: >>commissioner steinberg: >>commissioner mcghee: >>chair: >> we have 10 members present, we have a quorum. >>chair: welcome back to our second budget meeting, can we quiet down in the back, take your seats mayor as well, I see you. Quiet in the back. Please rise for the prayer read my father miguel from saint brendan catholic church my invitation from my district. Followed by the pledge of allegiance by the vice chair. >> almighty and ever living GOD creator GOD of all people we gather today within miami-dade counties mayor and board of county commissioners mindful of the great trust our responsibility placed in their hands. They undertake the task of shaping our counties projects we ask of your wisdom to direct their hearts. Rent this commission the foresight to allocate resources justly, ensuring the immediate needs of all the diverse communities in miami-dade county. Tell them to listen to one another with respect. To treat each other and unite around decisions for the well-being of all residence permit MAY there decisions on public funds reflect a commitment to the common good for their dedication to service their actions today foster a more prosperous, resilient and inclusive community for everyone across miami-dade. And your name we pray. >> I pledge of allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the public for which it stands one nation under GOD indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >>chair: thank you, you MAY be seated. All right. Good evening everyone and welcome to our second budget meeting, second and final budget meeting. Hopefully final, right? I am a narrator on my site. All right guys, let's please start quieting down as we get the meeting started and before we begin I'd like to remind everyone of the rules, to ensure respectful environment, and still some managers do not follow it, not sure what's going on. Be respectful when addressing the board and others, please follow time limits when speaking. When myself or anyone chairing on my behalf says thank you that means your time is up, that's our polite way of saying your minute is off real threats or outbursts are not permitted in this chamber all electronic devices must be silenced. With that said let's begin our meeting. MADAM Attorney good evening. MR. Director and MR. Attorney, are there any statements that need to be read into the opening prior to public hearing? >> yes MR. Chair. >>chair: go ahead. >> board will adopt millage rates for fees and other charges and adopt budgets for fiscal year 2026 27, there are eight ordinance before the board in this regard in accordance with rule the millage rates adopted at tonight's budget cannot exceed millage rates at the first budget hearing SEPTEMBER 3, ordinances to be considered today our item a, ordinance approving adopting and ratifying millage for countywide general fund operating purposes for fiscal year OCTOBER 1, 2026 ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2027 levying all taxes providing severability exclusion from the code and an effective date and the budget director has a statement. >> proposed operating millage is 4.574 mills 5.63% above the state defined rollback rate of 4.3301. The millage rate generates revenues to support the services and programs included in the proposed budget provided by miami-dade county and the constitutional offices including planned salary increases and increases to the florida retirement system. >> item be ratifying millage for countywide debt service for the fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2027 levying all taxes so providing providing severability exclusion from the code and an effective date of the budget director has a statement. >> the debt service millage is .3937 mills,.3042 mills for countywide debt service including the building better community bond program and safe neighborhood parks program and .0895 mills for the public health trust jackson building bond program. >> item c adopting the countywide fund budget for miami-dade county fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1 2026 ending SEPTEMBER 30 2027 providing a short title incorporating the fiscal year 2026-27 budget as amended, operating all revenues and expenditures, authorizing investment of county funds in a time that warrants miami-dade county, authorizing transfer of funds pending receipt of taxes or revenues authorizing the positive interest earned to the general fund, ratifying and approving and blending orders and actions of the board which set fees rates and charges authorizing fees rates and charges consistent with appropriations and providing their amendments and authorizing subsequent amendments five resolution, authorizing the mayor's designee execute certain funding agreements waving fiscal year provisions of the code and resolutions requiring execution of affidavits or nonprofits seeking certain county funding, rescinding various sections of the code applicable implementing orders and other legislative enactments to conform such to the fiscal year 2627 budget superseding conflicting provisions and prior enactments and providing severability inclusion from the code and an effective date, item d approves and matt ratifies the millage for incorporated service area operating purposes for the fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1, 2026 and ending SEPTEMBER 30 2827, levying all taxes so provided, providing severability, exclusion from the code and an effective date and the budget director has a statement. >> the service operating millage is 1.10909 mills which is 6.6% of rollback rate of 4.7983, the proposed millage rate generates revenue to support services and programs provided by miami-dade county between the sheriff's office and parks and recreation and open spaces department and salary increases and increased to retirement system. >> item about municipal service area budget for miami-dade county for fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 1 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2027 providing a short title incorporating fiscal year minimum proposed budget as amended appropriating all budget revenue expenditures authorizing investment of county funds in the time warrants, authorizing the transfer advances in receipt of taxes, authorizing the positive interest earned the general fund ratifying confirming and ogling implementing orders which set fees rates and charges authorizing fees rates and charges consistent with appropriations and providing authorization of their amendment by resolution, recognizing the unincorporated municipal service area authorizing the mayor or mayor's designee execute certain funding agreements, weaving for fiscal year 26-27 of of the code requiring affidavits for nonprofits receiving certain county funding, amending waving or rescinding various sections of the code applicable and blending orders and other legislative enactments conform such to the fiscal year 26-27 budget, superseding conflicting provisions of legislative enactments, providing severability, exclusion from the code and an effective date. Item f approves and ratifies the millage for miami-dade fire and rescue service district operating purposes for fiscal year OCTOBER 1, 2026 and ending SEPTEMBER 30 2027, levying all taxes, continuing the fire rescue service district providing severability exclusion from the code and an effective date and the budget director has a statement. >> district operating millage is 2.3965 mills which is 5.83% of the state defined rollback rate of 2.644 mills, the millage rate generates revenue to support the services or grams included the proposed budget provided by the miami-dade fire rescue department including planned salary increases and increasing the florida retirement system. >> item g buys the millage for miami-dade library system operating purposes for fiscal year OCTOBER 1 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2027 levying taxes recognizing and continuing the libraries planning severability exclusion from the code and an effective date and the budget director has a statement. >> the operating millage is .2812 mills which is 5.71% of the states rollback rate of .260 mills, the proposed millage rate generates revenue to support the operation services and programs in the proposed budget provided by miami-dade public library including planned salary increases and an increase to the retirement system. >> item h ratifies budget special assessment district budgets and other budgets of miami-dade through fiscal year OCTOBER 1 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2027 providing a short title incorporating the school year 26-27 budget as amended, appropriating all revenues and expenditures authorizing investment of county funds rent authorizing transfer of funds as cash advances pending receipt of taxes, ratifying and approving implementing orders and other actions of board which set fees rates and charges, authorizing fees rates and charges consistent with appropriations and providing their amendment, approving revised fees charges end up limiting orders for various departments and subsequent amendments by resolution, approving fiscal year 26-27 pay plan authorizing allocations and reallocations of bond proceeds and interest earnings, establishing such funds as MAY be approved during fiscal year and providing their expenditure, appropriating grant donation and contribution funds, authorizing mayor or mayor's designee to negotiate and execute certain funding agreements, authorizing the mayor or mayor's designee to apply for certain grants, continuing municipal services fund rescinding resolution are 1228 89 creating a childcare central trust fund, authorizing disparate mints to the ill trust fund to supplement the trust fund pursuant to section 2450.5 of the code, weaving for fiscal year 26-27 action 29 7g of the code allocated to surplus funds, resolution are 924-08 relating to transit fares fees and charges, provisions of section 24- 50.52 related to the eagle lands management trust fund, to allow registration funds deposited in the desk and they environmental enhancement trust fund to be used for studies of the counties reasonable assurance plan, reservations of section 132 of the code to allow general fund revenues to deposit into the affordable housing trust fund used for the eviction divergent program and operation of that helen sawyer assisted living facility and provisions requiring execution of county affidavits for nonprofits receiving certain funding, revealing sections 2 119 to 127 of the code relating to branch offices, now under the tax collectors jurisdiction amending pleadings rescinding various sections of the code applicable implementing orders and other enactments to conform such enactments to fiscal year -'s 26-27 budget. The conflicting provisions providing severability inclusion in the code and an effective date. Those are the ordinances before the commission. >>chair: thank you MADAM Attorney and director for that maria feel free to open up public hearing at this time. I will open up public hearing starting with our elected your present including our constitutional officers and some others present. So outside of those I went to speak who has an actual presentation, the sheriff I believe has a presentation, anyone that has an actual presentation, the property appraiser as a presentation so I will leave you towards the edge. All right, I'm going to start with our supervisor of elections, elena garcia. >> good afternoon. >>chair: good evening class I wanted to say thank you CHAIRMAN Rodriguez and all the commissioners and mayor. Thank you always helping us and we do a cut in our budget as the administration asked and we have a commitment we need the extra money you guys will step up to the plate I want to say thank you and remind everyone we have elections coming up NOVEMBER 3 so make sure everyone goes out to vote, thank you and GOD bless you. >>chair: thank you for that and understanding our financial needs at the county and it doesn't go unnoticed. This collector, a man I've been squeezing the most the past couple of weeks. The guy is bleeding me dry and he doesn't even answer my calls, tax collector, the floor is yours. >> commissioners, MADAM Mayor and residents I am daniel fernandez, your tax collector. Onight I'm proud to announce the tax collector's office will advance another 20,000,002 miami-dade county in 2027+ 20 million more. Thank you to CHAIRMAN Rodriguez and his team for working with us to help make this happen. This year for the first time in history are administration advanced 20 million ahead of schedule because the county needed it. Tonight we commit to doing it again. As we close out this school year our organization will have returned approximately 84 million to the county. Additionally we are providing 30 million in savings from weaving the school board millage collection fee and that is not all. Our administration is also weaving approximately 43 million in fees from our city and from the unincorporated area. And there is more. On the state loan tax collector's office can take an advanced that is close to 24 million. We are not taking it. I asked this commission to use this money to protect what matters. Police, fire rescue, emergency response. Put it where residents can see it. Since taking office seen 22 point billion and collected taxes, money that funds police fire rescue and parks across miami-dade county. We end the long lines that make families wait for hours and months just to renew a drivers license or get an id. We are ending disability parking problems because every abused plaque takes a space away from someone who truly needs it really GOD bless miami dade county and GOD bless the united states of america. >>chair: thank you for that and again it's very much appreciated. I will hopefully gain my colleagues support in allocating those funds accordingly so thank you for that. Ext up I'm going to have our clerk of court and comptroller juan fernandez barquin come on up. >> good evening CHAIRMAN, commissioners. I come before you to respectfully request reconsideration of the mayor's change memo and funding allocated to my office. My office has been committed to fiscal responsibility and transparency. That commitment was demonstrated when my office identified $2.809 million in savings primarily resulting from higher than anticipated attrition within comptroller audit operations. along with additional revenue generated by the county recorder's office. This proposed reduction places me in a difficult position. I'm being asked to choose between recruiting and retaining the talented qualified auditors needed to perform a function or community is asking us to fulfill that is injuring taxpayer dollars are properly accounted for and independently audited or eliminating critical positions within the comptroller's finance department, the clerk of the board and value adjustment board. This is not simply a request to preserve positions, it is a request to preserve the capacity necessary to perform the statutory responsibilities entrusted to my office and maintain the financial oversight accountability transparency and public services miami-dade county residents rely on every day. These positions are not simply numbers on a budget spreadsheet, these are people performing functions that keep our government operating and impact the services we provide to the residents of our great county. I am certain since release of the mayor's proposed budget JULY 15 positions within the county government have become vacant are not being eliminated from the fiscal year 2627 because they perform essential functions. I too have had positions become vacant between the release of the budget till now and part of my proposed budget submission i am recruiting for as they are essential roles for the sea occ. Within our comptroller finance department there are 14 itions valued at $1.536 million. Of these 14 positions five began their employment on the SEPTEMBER 14 cycle and the remaining nine positions have a start date within the following rule to pay cycles. These positions are critical to ensuring accounts payable payable for all employees some constitutional offices and other financial operations are processed accurately and within a reasonable timeframe. Reducing staffing in these areas will directly affect our ability to maintain timely and accurate financial operations. My budget request did not ask the county to reduce services in any other department, rather I am now being asked to make reductions in critical functions in my own office, functions that support financial accountability public records property owners and day-to-day operations of county government. I'm not here asking for funding without consideration of our fiscal realities, in fact understanding the fiscal challenges we MAY face in the coming year I asked my staff to conduct a thorough review of our budget request to identify areas we can reduce bending without directly affecting employees or the services we provide and after that I am respectfully asking this board to amend item c and h to allocate $1.536 million from the future services review fund to the clerk of court and comptroller's office. This covers most essential functions which are those within comptroller finance grid this is my bare-bones ask, 1.536 million, this will forgo not include my asked in regards to the value adjustment board and not include the clerk of the board. I recognize the fiscal challenges before this board and appreciate your consideration for this request. My goal is to be a responsible steward of public funds will injuring we do not make reductions that compromise our ability to fulfill our statutory obligations and I respectfully ask for your support making this adjustment. >>chair: just to clarify while you are there a simple answer from the 2.809 you mentioned your requesting five so not the full 20. >> the saving was 2.809, two weeks ago I asked for 2.664 and that included three areas. Value adjustment board, clerk of the board. >>chair: 664 is the number. >> and comptroller finance. >>chair: you're saying I need 1.5, okay. 1.536? Okay. Next up, let me see. Our deputy chief judge, gina. Welcome to our chamber, the floor is yours. >> good evening everyone, good evening CHAIRMAN, commissioners, comptroller, MADAM Mayor, all elected officials that are here and the people of miami-dade county. It is fitting we as the court appeared before you today for today is constitution day. A reminder that an effective judiciary is not merely a public service, it is a constitutional responsibility. We are grateful to this board for supporting our growing space needs for the mayor's identification of another capital funding source. Our bench has grown from 123 to 130 judges in the last year read that represents a 5.7 increase. But while that funding addresses where our growing funds will serve the public all remaining request addresses how effectively we end the entire public safety system can serve them. We therefore respectfully ask this board to fund and fully fund our operating request without further reduction. As mentioned in the first budget meeting nearly a million cases were filed in our courts last year. Our request focuses on modernizing core processes but let me be clear. This is not modernization for the sake of technology. This is a fiscally responsible investment in public safety and efficiency. Our funding request aims at streamlining the submission and execution of search warrants so officers can spend less time processing paperwork and more time protecting our neighborhoods we had similarly this request will fund a countywide case management system which will help move every case time towards final disposition faster. et me explain in detail what that means. A reduction of court delays, reduction of hearings and a time to disposition that's faster. That is a reduction of cost to the county and to the residence of miami-dade county. Tonight's public hearing is our constitutional government at work. Eparate institutions, distinct responsibilities and shared accountability to the people. The constitution assigns each of us a distinct role but it entrusts all of us with the stewardship of the institutions that serve our community so on this constitution day from one branch of government to another, thank you. >>chair: thank you chief deputy judge gina and to be clear in your remarks the mayor has released a revised memo just recently and I understand your department has not made been made whole and that recent mental. >> what remained clear was to our operating budget there is an additional 1.1 million asked and especially geared for those technological improvements we seek to employ. >>chair: I'll address it at the appropriate time but in the mayor's memo she's made approval class I will add I was raised in little havana, went to school at saint brendan and law school at coral gables and I worked at some point at the north data courthouse so I run the gamut of this county thank you for your service. >chair: thank you chief deputy judge. Et me see how I do this. I will finish with our two presentations and there are other elected officials but there's two or three from municipalities, I will call you guys up afterwards. Let's lead with what I assume might be the shorter one which is our property appraiser, come on up. And I hope my assumption isn't incorrect. >> thank you MR. CHAIRMAN, vice chair commissioners and mayor. On the first budget we were here to announce that we met the request from the county to lower our budget by $0.3 million. We had an original budget, 74.6 million and we lowered it to 70,000,000.3. Now, we are here today to announce we didn't stop there. That we tried to do the right thing with the county and for the residence especially and how do we get where we are today? This is about fiscal responsibility. Because we have the taxpayers in mind first. Number one, we removed over 20 positions from the budget. Eliminating some completely while defunding others including some executive level administrative positions. 2, we applied attrition to vacant positions. This will be managed by a staggering and hiring of these positions. Number three, we are using overtime to complete critical missions. Instead of hiring new personnel or temporary personnel. And 4, finding highly compensated retiree positions with qualified mid-level salary employees deferring the higher salary for future years. Although further modernization efforts will eventually removed need to fill some of these positions altogether. Number five, we reviewed and negotiated upcoming contracts to lower amounts to obtain current one and trust me, this really works. We saved more than $200,000 just by the same contract negotiation. Number two, number six, he removed multiple budget line items that have no direct impact on our statutory requirements in our focus on taxpayers to ensure they know the savings available to them. So today I'm here to inform you that because of this, because of the work our cfo casey sims did with the directors and myself over several weeks, we are here to inform you that today we are also giving the county 6.5 million dollars of excess funding. >>chair: repeat that, extra money, 6.5 million. My colleagues are already salivating. >> thank you so much and I'm going back to outreach we are doing in the coral gables region. We had by 3 o'clock around 400 people all asking for tax relief and new sanctions, thank you so much. >>chair: appreciate that your efforts do not go unnoticed thank you. Now not the last actually, one of the best. Our sheriff come on, rosie coredero-stutz. I thought regalado had a presentation? E had it on the screen, now we have the sheriff. I can see the sheriff now so looking forward to you sheriff. >> good evening CHAIRMAN Rodriguez, vice CHAIRMAN Mcghee, commissioners, MADAM Mayor, elected officials and all the residence of miami-dade county. Several weeks ago I stood before this commission and clearly outline the operational needs of the miami-dade sheriff's office and the funding required to meet them. As part of today's meeting you've received a change memorandum from the mayor's office. I'm here tonight because several statements in their memorandum do not accurately reflect what are requested or what the proposed funding will actually do. Numbers matter. As sheriff I believe this commission should have a clear understanding of the numbers and their operational impact on public safety. In the interest of time I will address just a few. The memorandum states the proposed funding includes 200 new positions in addition to filling existing vacancies. Hat is not what will occur. It out the requesting funding there will be no additional hires. zero. In fact we will move in the opposite direction. The memorandum also states sufficient funding is included to address compensation and other priorities, however there are no reserves identified for the collective bargaining negotiations that are approaching. Regarding technology, the memorandum states that it includes funding associated with the anticipated transfer of idd personnel to mds oh but mds os is not agreed to the wholesale transfer of personnel. We are evaluating our technology needs interviewing personnel and determining which positions are appropriate for the sheriff's ce. As sheriff I am responsible for determining the personnel and structure necessary to operate this agency. Finally the memorandum references capital funding to address facility needs and emergency projects. He proposed capital funding increases address only two of the 13 critical needs identified by the sheriff's office and importantly it eliminates funding for the eureka district station again. A project intended to provide law enforcement services in southern miami-dade county. This is the most important number I want you to remember tonight. 62.5 million. That represents the cost and the upcoming fiscal year of the collective bargaining agreement previously approved by this commission. T is a binding obligation. It is not discretionary. It is a bill that must be paid. The mayor's proposed increase is approximately 55 million. So before we hire an additional deputy, one dispatcher, 1911 call taker, one investigator or make one additional operative, operational investment the proposed increase does not cover the 62.5 million mandatory obligation. My request is for an additional 46.1 million after accounting for that obligation. That funding is intended to address specific operational needs, additional deputies, the technology infrastructure necessary to stand up an independent sheriff's office, 9-1-1 call takers and dispatchers and investigative and analytical personnel. Without that funding, those investments cannot move forward as planned. During my previous presentation I showed this commission where mdso stands and staffing compared with other law enforcement agencies. These numbers are based on fbi studies. Our current ratio is approximately 3.38 compared to the florida average of approximately 3.85. Under the proposed funding the consequences are immediate. All 6 and a half academy classes currently scheduled for next year will be canceled. That means we will not be bringing in the new deputies that we plan for and desperately need. Instead of closing our staffing gap we will fall even further behind. Our staffing ratio would decline to approximately 3.19. And by the end of the next fiscal year we project having approximately 180 fewer deputies than we have today. That is not an abstract statistic. It means fewer deputies available to patrol our neighborhoods, respond to calls for service, conduct investigations, find proactive policing and prepare for the continued growth of miami-dade county. Canceling 6 and a half academy classes doesn't simply affect next year staffing. It creates a public safety staffing gap that will take years to recover from. So I want to leave you with a clear picture of what the proposed funding means operationally. The proposed 55 million increase does not fully cover the 62.5 million mandatory collective bargaining cost which is outside of the sheriff's control. That means sheriff's office begins the fiscal year facing mandatory expenses before addressing the additional operational needs I have presented. And if the funding remains at that level by the end of next fiscal year, we project approximately 180 fewer deputies than we have today. The additional deputies we plan to hire will not be there. Our ability to expand staffing to meet the counties growth will be affected and the eureka district station serving southern miami-dade will not move forward under the proposed capital plan. Those are the consequences of these numbers. As sheriff my responsibility is to tell you what it takes to police this county successfully and to make sure you understand the consequences when those resources are not available. The numbers matter. The staffing matters and the consequences matter. Thank you. Am available to answer any questions you MAY have. >>chair: thank you MADAM Sheriff for that brief but thorough presentation. I now have as we continue, we will call him back up for questions. Unless it's a quick clarification, but it's never that simple. >>commissioner regalado: point of order, can we have a copy of the presentation? >>chair: I have our palmetto bay vice-mayor mark windsor. And our key biscayne councilmember fernando vasquez. Come up, both of you. Our palmetto bay vice-mayor and biscayne councilmember. >> good evening MR. CHAIRMAN and thank you for letting me speak, I am the vice-mayor of palmetto day and I'm here because our entire village counsel has urged you to please fully fund del. The mayor made it clear every dollar is already programmed and new funding has to come from somewhere else. We went through our own budget so I understand the trade-offs before you. Here is where the eel deserves special attention. Land comes with a clock. Our chance to protect only exist if still available and if there's one thing I want you to remember is this, we can postpone an expense, we can never postpone an opportunity so I have one small request. Ask your staff pull up one priority a eel project, see where it is, see what it protects and see what's at stake and ask yourself if we lose this land can we ever bought it back? You for your time. >>chair: councilmember. >> good evening MADAM Mayor, fellow elected officials and members of the public. My name is fernando vasquez and I serve in the village counsel of key biscayne a community surrounded by biscayne bay and inseparable from the days future. To those who live along the day, the they condition is not an abstract environmental concern. It affects our health, our economy, quality of life in the community we leave to our children. The counties on record acknowledges that past underinvestment contributed to system failure sanitary sewer and environmental harm. Recognizing that history carries a responsibility to act. With foresight, discipline and a commitment extending beyond any single project year. So as you consider this item I respectfully ask your decision be tied with clear countable implementation plans for water and wastewater grants that protect biscayne bay. That means prioritizing the most vulnerable infrastructure, meeting the counties consent decree, establishing clear deadlines for those high-risk projects and reporting publicly on expenditures milestones environmental results and delays. Very delay increases the risk of future system failures, sanitary sewer overloads, environmental damage and greater cost to the future we had waiting for another crisis could be fiscally responsible and environmentally unacceptable. This commission serves as the elected stewart of a natural resource belonging to every community in miami-dade county. That responsibility is especially consequential for coastal communities such as key biscayne. With that health woven into every part of our lives so key biscayne is required to do its part so act with urgency transparency and stewardship worthy of biscayne bay. Thank you for your time. >>chair: thank you councilmember vasquez for your time and I understand I have gone through most if not all of my elected officials. I will continue with the public. Please once again be respectful of other people's time. Stay within your minute of time and to be respectful to this body, to the mayor and stay on topic please. I'm going to call the first 10, please line up on either side of the center seats and the first to make approach the well. And as one finishes the next one is to immediately approach emd well. [Reading names] You are recognized. >>public speaker: rosea hayes, thank you commissioners and meta-mayor, thank you for putting forth a budget that balances are counties needs continuing investment in arts and culture. We are living in uncertain times but when the world feels difficult to understand GOD gives us the language for what we can't always put into words read it reminds us in our darkest moments there's beauty possibility and hope. In my seasons of grief art has held me when I needed somewhere to turn. As we look forward to a more uncertain future dear commissioners I urge you to remember the last time you felt moved by a song, a mural or even a performance at a recital print remember what it feels like to let the arts inspire and comfort you, to leave you in all remember your pride today and allow these emotions to materialize as continued investments in arts and culture so the next generation as the opportunity to find their voice and put overtown, homestead, miami springs on the global stage. >>chair: thank you so much, go ahead ma'am. >>public speaker: outreach manager for the arts and business council, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on behalf of of the arts and culture community and I stand before you as an individual and part of a larger community. I know firsthand what sustained investment in arts to do because I'm the result of that investment. I was once a young girl from miami-dade spending my summers at the african american cultural arts center, today I'm an artist and a curator read my introduction to the arts changed the trajectory of my life and that is why I am here today. We talked about funding arts and culture we are not just talking about organizations, we're talking about investing in the next generation of cultural workers, organizations like the arts council helped build the infrastructure that allows arts organizations to thrive but we cannot continue providing support without continued investment from the county. The arts are economic drivers, artists are community builders. Thank you. >>chair: ma'am. >> melissa ortega southwest 67th avenue pinecrest florida. Good evening MADAM Mayor and commissioners and last month I moved to miami-dade county where I was raised after being away for seven years. Miami-dade changed in a lot of ways you have the opportunity to ensure the lands that make miami-dade county unique and unlike any other county in the country preserved and protected for us and future generations to enjoy. That's what I'm asking you to restore critical funding towards the environmentally endangered lands program known as eel. An investment in eel isn't just about protecting habitats species that call south florida home, it's investment towards critical infrastructure that absorbs floodwater and is related to our drinking water. Lease invest 20 million towards eel in the 2627 budget and commit to acquiring lands that make miami resilient before it's too late. >>chair: thank you MS. Ortega. Remember, as he well frees up. Hold on, I don't have their names yet so I'm waiting on their names. You gave me a number, I don't have the name. Happy, from downstairs yet. They need special accommodations so I want to recognize them at this time but I still need their names officially so go ahead. >>public speaker: shanice floyd, 33130. Good evening, I was born blind, that means I cannot drive. So to get around I utilize public transportation the city provides. For school, for work I get on and ride and I'm so lucky because I can ride for free but if you make these cuts you're making it difficult for me. My independence is all I have. And I'm grateful to be here. I understand decisions need to be made. I don't think this is a good decision for the city of miami-dade. >>chair: thank you so much, next. >>public speaker: my address is gil, southwest 27th avenue zip code 33145. I was here last year talking about the budget cuts for fcs and I'm here again to say please do not do any budget cuts, do not do any increase of fairs for sds and as shanice was talking about we rely on special transportation services. Without this essential way of transportation we cannot get around. People with disabilities have ssi, the maximum is $1000. Imagine it's $1000 monthly. 3.50 per month you're talking about $200-$400 going to different centers or schools, going to work. Imagine that, how can we survive increasing buses, increasing the metrorail service is what we without your services and help we cannot survive. Thank you CHAIRMAN, mayor. Thank you. >> Chair: we have two more than we can come back to you. >> I am here just like these folks. Ernie martinez 9511 boulevard 641-1372. I am here just like my friends over here regarding this sts fare increase. All I have to say is here we go again. Miami-dade county should not rays the fairs. and put this on the backs of people with disabilities. Keep in mind that transit is not of a luxury it is a lifeline for writers disability. We use it for work, school, medical appointments. This really would create an additional financial burden for folks with disabilities. Do not do it. Stop the increase. >> Chair: thank you. Final one special accommodations in the back. >> good afternoon. I am jean -- jane. I am here because my issue is for homelessness. Homelessness I don't think it's fair for them to go to jail and shelter. They should be all away around. I think they matter and everything we go throughout their this month has in one month the dead. We ask for you to do something else to stop not people going in jail but shelter and housing or something else that would help them get off the street. But not jail time because that is not what they need. Thank you so much. >> Chair: thank you. We appreciate that. We are back to the well now. >> high caroline 63 41 northwest 1993 -- street 3315. Good evening commissioners and matta mayor I grew up watching my mind watching my mom perform at the miami-dade auditorium a degree in visual arts and I am here to ask you to continue to protect miami's creative community. Arts and culture are an festive -- effective and efficient use of public dollars. Arts help keep us connected to humanity throughout our lives. They are part of the backbone of a local economy in our neighborhoods and bring people to local businesses, restaurants, and hotels. They inspire children to thrive in and out of school. We appreciated of your generosity. Please it support funding for cultural affairs and grants. >> gabriela 12503 southwest 94 terrace 33186. I reside in district seven. My commissioner is conveniently not sitting there. Covered by environmental and a danger land. This is a park I grew up walking enjoying mangroves and what inspired me too pursue environmental fields. More than my personal connection this protects sensitive brands and absorbs floodwater and reduces extreme heat. The budget was decreased by 54 percent in a department that has already struggled to cover staffing, management habitats, that make our city special. I along with miami water keeper are asking for $20 million of this fiscal year's budget to be allocated to this management restoration and land acquisition. The decision protect miami's unique habitat and creates a resilient city against a changing climate and of course inspires youth to love and appreciate and stay in our city. Thank you I am mary taylor and the citizen who lives on the miami river and a member of miami water keepers. i ask that you increase the miami-dade water budget as king tides approach this week water will be 2 feet from my back door many people in sweetwater and all over. It's time to build infrastructure across the little river I see the pollution every day and miami is a tourism city so there must be a way for us to coexist and also protect the environment. I ask that you fund this project as well as the infrastructure for water and sewer for your children and generations to come. >> Chair: thank -- thank you. >> wendy. Choral coral gables florida 3314 I'm here with miami water keeper to ask you to invest 20 million in the environmental -- environmentally endangered lands program voters tax themselves to fund this it protected over 20,000 acres of wild florida but it's funding has dropped 54 percent in the last two years and it cannot fully cover staffing, management, or acquisition. How would we and conserve wild florida like this? Before I was a teacher I worked on environmental everglades restoration and it -- at the water management district where I got to see the long-lasting damage we have been inflicting on our waterways that not only protect and sustain us but thousands of species. Now I teach kids who light up when they learn what lives in our bay. Imagine their disappointment and frustration when they have to learn about the ever increasing threats on our land. >> Chair: thank you. >> I am mark I live at 11520 southwest 151st avenue and florida 33196 district 11 my commissioner is as an ambassador of miami water keeper. I live close to habitat management. As a birder I have walked along the perimeter and so my first american horned owl. There over 100 species of birds listed in this one area and in MAY this year a wild fire raged in this area. Firefighters were too to respond with the smoke filled the air for many days. I am a runner and a cyclist and on those days I could not safely go outside to exercise. The undergrowth is growing back but the area needs continued maintenance. This is important for the animals and species living within it but it's also important for me in my neighbors. These are necessary pieces of infrastructure that provide oxygen and absorb floodwater. Infrastructure needs to be maintained. Please allocate $20 million to this this will go toward management restoration and acquisition of sensitive lands that are important to us and the native wildlife. >> Chair: thank you. Ma'am. >> jacqueline 2121 ponce de leon boulevard miami boulevard 22314. Good evening I'm here to ask you to protect funding for and this was for fiscal year 2026-2027 budget. I lived in miami for many years and I have watched our community grow and -- once the remaining natural lands are lost to development we cannot simply get them back. Keel presents -- protects wetlands and wildlife habitat and environmentally sensitive lands that are part of what makes miami-dade so special. Protecting the land also means protecting water, resiliency, and quality of life for future generations. I respectfully urge protect this for $20 million and make sure it has the sources to manage these critical lands. Protect this investment and miami-dade's future. Thank you. >> Chair: thank you so much. >> I am adam seventeen 41 first quart. I am here and I came here last week about the conservancy and the NOVEMBER 5th we did the people protection plan. I asked people to vote in on a bolt transit operation and it caused issues people back there spoke about $3.50. We can cover this and do this if we have the people. [Inaudible]. Half snake the half cent of full penny going strictly to transit that will be good. This is a piece of paper that I can pass for you to look at. >> Chair: please hand it to the sergeant and they will distribute it. I will call the next ten or MAY be more. Please line up on either side of the center I'll and occupy the wells as they become available. Marianna as these. Louis salsa. pedro diaz, a morales, no or edwards, rachel silverstein, gregory frankel, alexa williams. Williams. Sharon fraser. Chaplain young. Kathy stan -- kathy santos. On marti and natalia roja's. Ma'am, please lead off. >> good afternoon commissioner commissioners, I am maria my address is 2121 ponce de leon coral gables I'm here to thank the 6 percent retail rate increase and ask you to uphold this the decision. Biscayne bay is not just our backyard. It drives $64 billion a year in economic activity. But it does not happen automatically. It takes sustained investment in we see what happens when we underfund this type of infrastructure such as overflow and clean water act violations and the federal district -- consent decree we are still working through. For 89 percent of their. Now was not the time to stop. We are also behind on the state lucian requirements from 2008. These are not optional. These are legal mandates. This increased costs residents 12 cents a day which is a small price to pay for protecting public health, drinking water, and the day that sustains our economy. Think -- thank you. >> pedro diaz 50 feet 250521 north waterway driveway. Good morning -- good evening. Thank you for your leadership and for the opportunity to be here looking every week why am you provides free music education to more than 21,000 students across 131 schools in miami-dade. We see every day how music builds confidence, discipline, creativity, leadership, and a sense of belonging. We will see where this access leads. Look at hialeah. Talent is everywhere in our community. Opportunity is support of cultural affairs helps us change that. I respectfully ask you to continue prioritizing and strengthening funding for cultural affairs. When we invest in the arts we invest. We invest in our communities in -- and the future of miami-dade. >> I'm alexa 626 choral. To fourth 2314. Introductions created here in miami-dade that is part of our next season and what arts funding makes possible. I want to think the mayor for supporting arts and culture in the department of cultural affairs for making this work possible. I respectfully ask the commissioners to support this budget and protect the funding and venues use it the work to continue. Including the miami-dade county auditorium and cultural spaces countywide. These are not just buildings, they are were artists, technicians and ushers work and audiences gather and students discover and our community sees itself on the stage. please protects arts and culture so they can continue creating first class theater and representing miami-dade county. >> I'm a louisa martinez 1,362,142nd terrace miami florida 33186. I am here as a concerned mother and represent as director of development first I want to thank you for your leadership and for the hard work I know you do behind the scenes to to protect the community to use these funds to the best of our ability. I am here on the half of the thousands of students that we teach week after week 21,000 students across 171 schools and ask you to please continue prioritizing and strengthening funding for the department of cultural affairs so organizations like y m u continues to provide free high-quality arts and music education to young people for our community. Thank you for your service and for investing and our children and the future of our community. >> 139,195th street. 9250 west flagler. You purchased $182 million office. You gave miami garden 21 million for performing arts center and 203 million you should have saved in reserves to keep workers on the job and the service to keep going. You got 20.4 million for safe roads and another 6.2 for safe roads. Nothing's happening. District eight guthrie.2 for their roads. C r k got 40 million a year for ecological development and we are talking about cutting jobs and bus service. You need to hold your administration who got this transit in this mess accountable for this mess. They got us in a mess. We do not cut service and hours. Chair thank you. >> 1,000 michigan avenue apartment 14339. I'm speaking as a past student and now full time member of y m u thank you chair, vice chair, matta mayor and commissioners for your continued leadership and support of arts education in miami-dade. At young musicians unite we see the impact of the support every day and provide free high-quality music education to over to 121,000 students across 131 schools each week and I was one of them and I continue to offer that to more students including many young people who otherwise would not have access to these opportunities. Through music the students build confidence, creativity, discipline, leadership, collaboration and a true sense of belonging. We respectfully ask -- ask miami-dade county to continue prioritizing and strengthening funding for the department of cultural affairs we can continue reaching and empowering young people through community. Thank you. >> thank you so. >> good afternoon evening MR. Chair. Vice chair. Mayor commissioners 6516 northwest 12th avenue in the fabius liberty square community. -- I put on this blue shirt. i have my usa and bandanna because I am from a family of veterans and I believe in community service. Salaries, over services is not good. I will say that again. Salaries over services is not good. I was going to speak about something else about when my sheriff got up here and spoke about the cuts. When someone robbed me I don't call the fire department. I called the miami-dade county or police department. When my house is on fire I call the fire department. Please do not make miami-dade county a mockery. Our public safety as you can see this is where I got my training. Watching district one. Began in district one. I live in district three. Do not cut us. A billion dollars for miami-dade. A billion. Not a million. >> Chair: thank you. >> good afternoon commissioners matta mayor I am no edward's 2930 day avenue 29133 I'm on the marketing team at miami water keeper and we are talking about program of lands and thousands have been engaging with the eagle posts. I have read countless constituents post talking about their favorite eel lands and why they love miami and they are disappointed to learn that there commissioner MAY not approve the necessary funding for this critical program. I know hundreds have also been e-mailing and calling offices to voice support. many wish they could be here today but not everyone has hours to sacrifice and deliver public comment in person. The lands are not just pitiful places that provide critical habitat for endangered species in miami-dade county they are part of the infrastructure that protects constituents and absorbs floodwater and reduces extreme heat and makes miami-dade more resilient for a changing climate. I urge you to fully fund this program at $20 million for 50 steps for fiscal year 26 I could 27. >> Chair: you for being so respectful. That does not go unnoticed. Let's be quiet in the back please. The sound is getting louder. >> I'm on a martinez six miami florida I am here today because my happy place as of the pine rockland park and tropical park the only place near my neighborhood with a significant amount of trees are only there because of veal we must fully fund to yield to preserve locally imperiled habitats that hold the precious local endangered species. The species that have the voice of their own and need is to protect their habitat. We must fully fund yields a residents that do not have access to green spaces in their own neighborhoods can rely on eel lands to connect with families in nature. We must fully fund a eel lands like friends of the park for the millions of people who never even heard of a deal but use natural spaces regularly. in addition everyone benefits from the invisible services that this provides a urban resiliency, erosion prevention, cleaner air and water. Save our beautiful natural areas by keeping this fully funded at $20 million. Think thank you. >> Chair: good evening. >> thank you. I am rachel silverstein executive director water keeper miami water keeper address is exempt. Thank you for the opportunity to be heard tonight I know it is a long evening and they have difficult decisions to make -- to be made ahead I want to talk to you tonight about the water and sewer budget and deeply thank you all for supporting the proper funding to avoid sewage spills. The county has a history of not properly funding water and sewer such that we have had many multimillion gallons of sewage spills over the years causing the epa to enter into consent agreements where we spent over a billion dollars fixing infrastructure. This is not discretionary investment but critically important to protecting what makes miami so unique and in fact supports the economic backbone biscayne bay. It's both for biscayne bay and it's a health hazard when we have the spills. The project need to happen and if we kick the can down the road they will only be that much more expensive. Thank you again for last time voting to support the necessary funding. please continue this tonight thank you. >> Chair: thank you. Ma'am? >> I am italia and my address is 21003 southwest 92nd place cutler bay district eight. This is my first hearing at have come today to express the importance of funding yield. Growing up in miami I had the privilege of experiencing many natural spaces from the beaches to everglades and pine rockland to have a mix true -- we are truly a city blessed with a rare and irreplaceable habitat and is my love for the wild part of the community that leads me too ask you to allot 20 million to the eel program and continue to protect these spaces not only for us now but for generations to come who might otherwise never have the chance to experience the true natural beauty our city has to offer. Please protect the legacy of our environment and preserve it's future. Please fund eel. >> Chair: thank you. Welcome to breaking the ice here for the first server. >> good evening also first time caller. CHAIRMAN, commissioners, MADAM Mayor gregory frankel I live in coconut grove district 7299 matthew street. Miami 33133. I'm here to support restoring the environmentally endangered lands program, $20 million in keeping the 6 percent water and sewer adjustment you are approved on SEPTEMBER 3rd. I was born and raised here. I win to off mathis and hammock as a kid and water full of see horses horseshoe crabs. I still dive the bay and the bottom is amok and algae now. It is nutrient pollution from septic tanks and old sewer pipes and 12 cents a day is what it cost to keep fixing thank you for voting to properly fund this. Eel is the other half. Land that we have already set aside. The cheapest water filter. The bay and those lands are held in trust for everyone here. Please fund the trust. Thank you. >> Chair: thank you. >> transit alliance 1213 choral way. Good evening MADAM Mayor, chair, vice chair, commissioners, I am glad to this evening think the tax collector's office and office of the mayor for an early morning writer across miami-dade, early morning solution to bus cuts. Yes to that. Also thank you for several proposals where we mentioned last time trusting the transit funding gap and I hope more transit funding decisions are made by this body tonight in the coming months because we still have 19 million to go before MARCH 2027 to ensure that service remains intact. Ideally more so that there is more room to recover. You heard about what fare increases will cost writers and if the county cannot find money elsewhere there are two things to do, engage and use your free and reduced fare transit passes. Thank you. >> chaplain stanley young freedom prison and jail ministry 500 northwest second avenue. CHAIRMAN, vice chair, commissioners, staff, and citizens of miami-dade county, I am here today to sound the alarm of the crisis that is in our community as of right now. There are thousands of returning citizens that are coming out of our prisons and jails that have little or no help but -- help whatsoever. You have about 300 beds that are dedicated to helping those that are coming out of our prisons and jails and there are thousands that are pouring into our streets that need that bed. They are competing with homeless people and at camilla's house and miami's rescue mission and our returning citizens are a special breed of a special person. Just think of someone who has been locked away for 20 years, 30 years, locked away, and they come into this world that we have today. It will not work. We have to do something different. We have to do something more with our returning citizens coming out of our prisons and jails. They need your help. Thank you and GOD bless. >> Chair: next. >> good evening. And doctor myron davis director of after school's program miami children's museum located at 980 macarthur causeway 338132. Thank you for your continued support for recognizing the importance of the museum and -- in the rolls and the lies of the children in the families across miami-dade county. i am honored to stand here today speaking on behalf of straight -- 600 extraordinary students across miami-dade and the elementary school stretch 37 miles and goes to miami gardens. Many might label our children not at risk but we know who they truly are. We view them as I promise working directly in our schools we see firsthand the growing mental health challenges facing our children. Students are carrying stress and anxiety and trauma that require more than traditional academic support. Miami children's museum meets those needs through the arts, social and emotional learning, and support for children's well-being and development. We are grateful for your investment if additional funds become available we hope you consider the scale of our reach. Thank you for your leadership. >> amanda goodman 980 north gauze causeway miami-dade. Good evening and thank you for your continued investment in miami cultural arts. Each year miami children's museum opens its doors to 400,000 visitors and every single day we serve 600 children across eight sites. Many in areas that need us most. At the -- as the youth in the community continue to face mental health challenges are programs offer something increasingly rare. The safe stable nurturing space where children can learn to express themselves. The cost of delivering these services continues to rise. security has grown as one of her most significant expenses but it is a nonnegotiable. Protecting the children, families, and staff who walk through our doors every day is a responsibility we take seriously. As you finalize this year's budget we ask for your continued support in helping assisting these programs. Thank you for standing with us. >> Chair: thank you so much. I will call the next batch. Speakers we have andrea me around, arial cantos, lorraine santos, edna diaz, monica, john elizabeth armand, amy maclennan, elizabeth connor, and seo rayner. >> me? Thank you. I am andrea and I live at 2867 southwest 38 avenue. I am here to urge you to fund the eel program at $20 million. While acquisition is important management is just as critical. Right now eel preserves are not getting the management that they desperately need. Pine rockland preserves are facing invasive plant species, illegal dumping, and proper usage, and their biggest threat is fire suppression. If we don't give them enough money to remove and play -- invasive plants to prescribed burns and actually manage the preserves we will lose them. These are preserves we have already worked so hard to protect. In addition to management funding I am urging you to -- t