Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners - FIRST BUDGET HEARING

>> test miami-dade . >> test, test. >> test miami-dade . >>chair: clerk if you can call me please, thank you. >> commissioner bermudez will be absent from today's meeting. >>commissioner bastien: >>commissioner cohen higgins: good evening, present. >>senator garcia: >>commissioner gilbert: >>commissioner gonzalez: >>commissioner hardemon: >>commissioner higgins: hello, I am here . >>commissioner milian orbis: here . >>commissioner regalado: >>commissioner steinberg: >>vice chair: here. >>chair: present. >> we have eight members present, we have a quorum. >>chair: if I can please ask everyone to stand up for the prayer led today by commissioner gilbert followed by the pledge of allegiance led by our chair, mcghee . >>commissioner glbert: we say thank you for another opportunity to borrow a little bit of your oxygen and relinquish our senses, thank you for the opportunity to live together as a community, thank you for an opportunity to make manifest your well on this planet specifically in this community for these people. Heavenly father today you asked we asked you grant us with wisdom understanding there are no perfect solutions we ask you give us the abilities you gave solomon. To figure it out. We figure it out for your people. In your son's name we pray, amen. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under GOD indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >>chair: you MAY be seated. >>chair: alright guys, we can quiet down. Everyone in the back find a seat. If you do not have one you need to find one. All right. Met an attorney. Good afternoon or good evening, good afternoon, can you please read your statement prior to the opening of public hearing? >> yes MR. Chair, tonight the board will conduct a public hearing and adopt proposed millage rates, set fees and other charges and adopt tentative budgets for miami-dade county fr fiscal year 2025, 2026. There are eight ornaments before the board in this regard, lease note the proposed millage rates adopted at tonight's budget hearing at the ceiling for the final millage rates adopted at the second budget hearing SEPTEMBER 18 . The ordinances to be considered today are item a, ordinance approving adopting and ratifying the millage for countywide general fund operating purposes for the fiscal year missing OCTOBER 1 missing OCTOBER 1, 2025 and ending SEPTEMBER 30 26, levying all txes provided, providing separability exclusion in the code and an effective date and budget director has a statement . >> the proposed countywide operating millage is 4.574 mills which is 7.57% above the state defined rollback rate of 4.252. The proposed millage rate to raise revenue to support services included in the proposed budget including a plan cost of living adjustment , increase from the florida retirement system and increase to the maintenance effort for funding for jackson health systems. Class item b is an ordinance approving and ratifying millage for countywide bond and debt service for the fiscal year 2025 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 levying all taxes so provided providing separability exclusion from the code and an effective date and the budget director has a statement. Rate is.471 mills,.3228 mills for countywide debt service including building better communities bond program and safe neighborhood parks pogram and.0943 mills for a public health trust jackson miracle building bond program. >> item c is an ordinance approving adopting the general budget for miami-dade florida for the fiscal year commencing NOVEMBER 1, 2025 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2026, providing a short title incorporating the fiscal year proposed budget as amended, operating all budgeted revenues and expenditures, authorizing the investment of county funds in miami-dade county, authorizing the transfer of funds as cash advances pending receipt of taxes, authorizing deposit of interest earned to the general fund ratifying informing and approving orders and other actions of the board which set fees rates and charges, authorizing charges consistent with appropriations and providing maryland and authorizing subsequent amendments by resolution, authorizing the mayor to execute for certain funding agreements waiting for fiscal year 2025 provisions and resolutions requiring execution of county affidavits for nonprofits receiving certain county funding authorizing additional levy of capital improvement action gas tax pursuant to 336.0 215b effective JANUARY 1, 2026 and amending article 14 of chapter 29 of the code of miami-dade county florida weaving or rescinding by sections of the code applicable and spell anything orders to conform such an accident to the fiscal year 2526 budget superseding conflicting provisions of prior legislative enactments and providing separability exclusion from the code and an effective date. Vitamin d is an ordinance adopting ratifying the millage for unincorporated music civil service area purposes for fiscal year NOVEMBER 1, 2025 and ending SEPTEMBER 30 and providing separability exclusion from the code and an effective date. Vitamin d is an ordinance adopting ratifying the millage for unincorporated music civil service area purposes for fiscal year NOVEMBER 1, 2025 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 levying all taxes provided providing separability exclusion from the code and an effective date and the budget director has a statement. Unincorporated service area is millage is 1.909 mills which is 7.37% above the state defined rollback rate of 1.779. The proposed millage rates generate rvenue to support services included in the proposed budget including cost-of-living and increase in the florida retirement system. >>-aapprove the unincorporated municipal service area for miami-dade county for fiscal year OCTOBER 1, 2025 and ending SEPTEMBER 30, 2026 providing a short title incorporating the fiscal year proposed budget as amended operating all budget revenues and expenditures authorizing the investment of county funds in the timelines of miami-dade county authorizing transfer of funds pending receipt of taxes, authorizing deposit of interest earned to the general fund, ratifying implementing orders and other actions of the board which set fees and charges, authorizing fees ad charges consistent with appropriations and providing their amendment and authorizing subsequent amendments by recognition, continuing the unincorporated service area authorizing the mayor or designee to execute certain funding agreements waiting for fiscal year 2526 provisions of the code requiring execution of county affidavits for nonprofits receiving certain county funding, unending waiting or receiving set certain sections of the code applicable and letting orders to conform such enactments to the fiscal year budget. Superseding conflicting provisions of prior enactments providing separability exclusion from the code and an effective date, item f approves and ratifies the millage for miami-dade fire rescue service district operating purposes for the fiscal year OCTOBER 1, 2025 ending SEPTEMBER year 36, levying taxes recognizing and continuing the fire and rescue service district writing separability exclusion from the code and an effective date of the budget director has a statement. Service district operating millage is 2.3965 mills which is 7.99% of all the state defined rollback rate of 2.2191 mills. The proposed millage rate generates revenue to support services included in the proposed budget including additional units and plan cost of living adjustment and contractual adjustments and an increase from the florida retirement system. >> item g approves the millage for miami-dade library system operating purchases for the fiscal year commencing OCTOBER 2025, levying all taxes provided recognizing and continuing miami-dade library system providing separability exclusion from the code and an effective date and the budget director has a statement. Library system operating millage is.281 mills which is 7.78% above the state defined rollback rate of.2609 mills. The proposed millage rate generates revenue to support services included in the proposed budget, plan cost-of-living adjustment and increase in the florida retirement system. >> item h adopts and ratifies proprietary budget special assessment district budget and other budgets of miami-dade county or fiscal year OCTOBER 1, 2025 ending SEPTEMBER 30 26 providing a short title incorporating fiscal year 2526 budget appropriating all budgeted revenues and expenditures authorizing investment of county funds and warnings of miami-dade county authorizing transfer of funds as cash advances, ratifying confirming approving orders and other actions which set fees rates and charges, authorizing fees rates and charges consistent with appropriations and providing for the amendment approving revised fees and implementing orders for various departments and agencies and authorizing subsequent amendments by resolution, approving fiscal year 2026 pay plan and reallocations of bond proceeds and interest earnings authorizing mayors designee to provide bond issue reserves establishing such funds as MAY be approved during fiscal year and upright fighting for their expenditure, approving contribution funds authorizing mayor or mayors designee to execute funding agreement authorizing the mayor or designee to apply for certain brands continuing the municipal services fund authorizing disbursement from the environmentally endangered lands trust fund to supplement the land management trust fnd pursuant to section 24.55 of the code, waiting for fiscal year 25-26, section 29.7 g of the code related to allocation of surtax funds provisions of 24 25-26, section 29.7 g of the code related to allocation of surtax funds provisions of 24.552 related to the principal balance of the management trust fund and disbursements therefrom provisions of section 24 b 40 of the code to allow vessel registration deposited in the biscayne bay trust fund to be used for certain studies for the county's reasonable assurance plan, provisions of section 2 b 1803 four of the code requiring recommendations from the building better community advisory committee for use of surplus funds, provisions for the resolutions requiring execution for nonprofits receiving certain county funding, 20 5b 36 requiring deposit into the local improvement district trust fund and resolution are 5425 requiring 11.4 million in the countywide departmental expenditures for wage and separation reserve amending or rescinding various sections of the code applicable into the limiting orders and other enactments to conform such enactments to fiscal year 2526 budget superseding conflicting provisions of prior enactments providing separability and exclusion from the code and an effective date. I understand the budget director has additional changes that you would like to read into the record at this time in preparation for tonight's hearing. >>chair: I have on my order of the day to have the mayor say some remarks, or your changes different from the remarks? Go ahead area. >> following our proposed changes and scriveners errors to the information for first budget hearing fiscal year 25-26 proposed budget amendment. Number one at the SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 board meeting the board adopted a rate for the collection of solid waste and below what was proposed. As part of the package distributed prior to meeting the new rate of.7% will require an adjustment solid waste department decreasing revenues and expenses in the amount of $700,000 and solid waste collections operations fund. Number two the information for first budget hearing fiscal year 2526. The technical one we ae coming later. >>chair: I can come back to you director. >> I think we are good. Number two, the information for first budget hearing is the year 25-26 budget inadvertently excluded capital project program 5555 25-26 budget inadvertently excluded capital project program 5555x21 environmentally endangered lands program. Three, the information for first budget hearing fiscal year 25-26 budget should be amended to include removal of the remaining one cents capital improvement local option gas tax to be funded with reserves. Number four, information for first budget hearing fiscal year 25-26 proposed budget should be amended to include the additional funding in fiscal year 2425 by the commission auditor and their SEPTEMBER 3 memorandum. And then in with the office of management and budget which identified an additional 1.925 million in umpsa, 2.7 million in library and 2.162 million in a fire district. Five, the information for first budget hearing fiscal year 25-26 proposed budget should be amended to include expenses from air rescue to the general fund. Countywide general fund. >>chair: thank you director. With that . >>mayor cava: MR. Chair . >>chair: you yourself mayor, let me set some ground rules, I want to thank everybody for being here for or official budget meeting, we did have a workshop last month but this is still our first official meeting but before I begin I would like to remind everyone of the rules tonight and injure a respectful and professional environment from those that are here and of our colleagues as well. Comments on the millage rate and budget which is what we are discussing today, we had a large number of people interested in speaking, I have a full list to be considerate of others so everyone has an opportunity to speak before it gets too late. If what you're going to say as already been said you MAY at your discretion even support and simply say you support the funding or issue that has been addressed. Very important we all be respectful when addressing the board and others, that we do not call any commissioners out by name. When addressing the board is to the full board. Please follow the time limits when speaking. When I say or my vice chair says thank you, that is our polite way of saying your time is up and the next speaker will begin speaking. Disruptive behavior, signage, outbursts are just simply not permitted and are sergeant has been the practice of this chamber and the board for well over a decade as far as I know will immediately approach you and ask you to sit down and if you need to be escorted they will ask you to step outside as well. Of course the one I already heard in your brief intro all electronic devices please make sre they are silenced. That goes for everybody including my colleagues, your staff, county attorneys, the administration and of course everyone in the audience today. With that said man mayor I will give an intro before we go into public hearing and we will go to the commissioners for debate. MADAM Mayor the floor is yours. >>mayor cava: thank you CHAIRMAN, vice CHAIRMAN, to all our commissioners and the residents who are here tonight thank you for being part of this process and making your voices heard. I want to start by sharing my gatitude. I'm grateful that through hard work and frank conversations we were able to solve this year's budget challenges together and I'm thankful to members of this board. We've met with each of you several times earlier this year to brief you and hear your input and I am thankful to the constitutional officers, several of whom are with us today for your collaboration. And of course I'm grateful to our incredible creative county staff particularly our office of management and budget worked around the clock for months to get this done. There's been a lot said about this year's budget. We have a responsibility not to mislead but speak the truth to our residents and I want to address some of the misinformation that has been put out there. From the beginning I promised to share the hard truths when they weren't easy to hear and make the hard decisions when they weren't easy to make. This year we faced a new reality where our county government along with all five constitutional offices must be funded from the same pot. Additionally expenses have grown but revenue hasn't kept up especially due to cuts in federal and state funding so the reality is we had to present a balanced budget as we are legally required to do so in JULY I presented a budget to this board that closed the gap by streamlining government and finding efficiencies. We adjusted the nine essential services, consolidated departments to reduce overhead while still protecting the core services are county relies upon like public safety, transportation, trash pickup and more and all this while maintaining our historically low tax rate, the lowest since 1982 and thanks to our ongoing collaboration with the community mission and constitutional offices, the updated proposed budget you will discuss today is even stronger. Over the course of 20 town halls starting in MAY the voices of our residents shaped this process and you guided us to where we are today. We heard you loud and clear that you wanted us to continue supporting arts and culture, community organizations, parks and more than thanks to the constitutional offices that listened to our community's needs. They returned an additional $66 million in unspent funds to support the budget alongside him funds, additional departmental adjustments. It hs been suggested that we found additional money during this process and I want to be clear . That is not true. Under this new budget process defined by the state constitutional offices must return unspent funds by the end of the fiscal year and not earlier. That makes it difficult to plan how we will spend them. With these resources thank you so much constitutional's we were able to restore funding for important community priorities that include investing more in public safety, including additional funding adding up to a historic $1.1 billion in funding for the sheriff, repairing roads, protecting our seniors, actually restoring funding for community organizations, almost completely restoring funding for arts, restoring arts program and eliminating opposed working fees and reducing the special transportation for MRS. They are increased to just $.25 and just yesterday the tax collector provided updated projections that offer an additional $5.3 million. I do want to touch on a few specific points before the discussion, first we have continued to listen to our community and we have heard your concerns about even a minimal increase to the gas tax at a time when so many families are struggling. Tonight we are amending the proposed budget to eliminate any gas tax increase and instead take those funds from existing countywide reserves. But we recommend using the new revenue realized by the tax collector to strengthen reserves in our training team, fire and library budgets. Second I want to address some of the continued misinformation about public safety. Public safety has been my top priority as I was elected mayor and that commitment is unwavering in this year's budget and I am proud to fully fund the sheriff's request to ensure miami-dade remains one of the safest metropolitan communities and the nation. Under my leadership we've made major investments in fire rescue, our firefighters are our heroes who put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe and that is why since I became mayor we have delivered well-deserved long-overdue raises and stronger benefits. We hired 600 new firefighters and added 21 new units to expand service and I want to be clear as well the air rescue services remain unchanged in the proposed budget and there is no impact on the public and no reduction in services so despite shifting the cost and the fire budget and after honoring our collective bargaining agreement commitments fire rescue district is still extremely healthy and in fact has $40 million in carryover for next year. However, we do understand that there are concerns related to this change we have worked with commissioner regalado to amend the proposed budget to shift the cost of air rescue from fire rescue to the countywide general fund over a two-year period and drawing those funds from reserves and finally we had clearly heard transportation remains a key priority for our residents. We are grateful for our writers and their trust in our system, helping us become the fastest-growing tansportation system in the county currently the 10th largest in the country so that is why we worked very hard not to cut our core transportation services in the proposed budget and keep in place pograms for our most vulnerable writers, currently 40% of our writers use free or discounted fares. Miami-dade county offers a higher availability of free services and most other transportation systems. A small transit fee increase the first since 2013 the first since 2000 13/10 years supports our cntinued growth and insurers we can prevent service cuts. We've also learned how many of you rely upon our new service natural connect and we understand that need and that's why we're working on a plan to bring back to the board for the second budget hearing to continue providing this service. I am extremely proud of all we've done to produce a balanced fair accountable budget that protects core services and continues to move miami-dade county forward. Thank you very much, I'm looking forward to tonight's discussion with our board and to passing a great budget. >>chair: thank you MADAM Mayor. With that I will go straight into public hearing and we will all have our opportunity after that to discuss the budget at length. Guys again please be respectful when addressing the board. Please be respectful of everybody else's time that also wants to speak and let's try to get through this as professional as possible. As I call your name please line up on each side of the center seats. And you MAY approach the podium and you will have to state your name and address and have one minute to speak. I want to take this opportunity to welcome to the chamber tax collector daniela fernandez you with u tonight. This evening our election supervisor elaina garcia, I understand rpa thomas regalado as join us, I see him in the back and also welcome our chief judge fajardo from the 11th judicial circuit . Judge, I don't see you now but I saw you earlier, thank you for being with us. With that before I get into the full list will any of our constitutional officers like to say a few words? Our supervisor of elections elaina garcia. Class thank you MR. CHAIRMAN, CHAIRMAN Rodriguez, members of the board of county commissioners, mayor, staff and miami-dade residents, thank you for the opportunity to share a few words. I am alina garcia your first selected supervisor of elections and I bring greetings from our team of elections professionals. It is the greatest honor of my career to serve as your miami-dade supervisor of elections and the responsibility that I take seriously. The work of this office is among the most important in all of government, elections are the foundation of our democracy and voter trust is our cornerstone and my top priority. We are at a pivotal time in history when our decisions today will affect the confidence and participation of voters tomorrow. We've been asked to be laser focused keeping our residents at the center of every decision. That is hw we have approached this proposal. Are of elections team has agreed to an operating budget that will ensure we are adequately resourced as we move into the 2026 election cycle and additionally MR. CHAIRMAN as you and I have discussed in our many conversations I am happy to report from the current fiscal year we are expected to return $3.5 million in carryover funds, MR. CHAIRMAN you have squeezed me but that's all good read $1.5 million and projected. This demonstrates our commitment to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars while maintaining operational excellence. Ultimately the budget of the supervisor of elections is not just about running elections, it's about instilling confidence in our democratic system insuring every voice is heard and strengthening the democratic foundation we all share so that you for your support and I wish you a productive and successful budget hearing. >>chair: thank you, our tax collector daniela fernandez. >> good evening commissioners, mayor, residents of miami dade county, this is your miami-dade county tax collector every dollar we collect belongs to the people of this beautiful county. Our office has worked hard to save money and return millions back to the community . We created a new tax holding certification which gives residents an easy way to support local organizations while still returning money to the county. Today I ask for your support of responsible budget that focuses on public safety and core service. The best budget is not one that spends the most, is the one that respects taxpayers, protects family and keeps miami dade county strong. Bhind every dollar is a family that costs us to do the right thing . My office and I are fully committed to work hard hand-in-hand with this board of county commissioners to serve our community. Thank you and GOD bless you all. >>chair: thank you tax collector and our property appraiser thomas regalado, commissioner gilbert . >>commissioner gilbert: point of privilege to thank the tax collector for working with us on contributions, that resolution we passed yesterday allowing people to support cbo's and cultural programs with voluntary contributions through his office was testament to his willingness to be part of a larger county family so I appreciate him and he has a nice suit on today also. Real men wear pink. >>chair: property appraiser class thank you CHAIRMAN, commissioners, thank you so much for having so many people here to speak out to you. On the needs and hopes of all the residents of miami-dade county. I'm here like the other colleagues , constitutional officers to once more say that the our working with you, working for people and we have given that $9 million in your area we feel that they should be used to restore the project for seniors that had been established many years ago and my understanding is that was funded this year. I want to express the work of support for some of the people of lucas house. One of the great jewels we have in our community services in the city of miami that we began many years ago and now is countywide. Thank you so much and I know you have hard decisions that you will do the right thing . >>chair: thank you property appraiser. With that I'm going to recognize my colleague commissioner bastien for a quick word of wisdom. She would like to share with our community . >>commissioner bastien: thank you MR. Chair. For those of you who came here to speak, I would like to collectively welcome you and thank you so that so many of you came today to speak. We want you to speak. i was in your position for 31 years and I know how frustrated I used to get when I had 2 minutes and how fast it went. But today, you have one minute. Ask someone who has been where you are right now for 31 years , my humble advice is to start with your ask because the one minute will go so fast. That will save you a lot of frustration. Heed my advice , state your and take it from someone who was in your place, 30 years straight and I want to thank you once more for coming to express yourself because I want you to know that our democracy is stronger with your vision tonight, >>chair: thank you commissioner and with that we will get right into it now. As I call your name and up and the first two names could approach each well, each podium and state your name and address and as the commissioner nicely stated you will have one minute to speak. Renc the name because there's a lot here. [Reading names] [Reading names] Please line up if I call your name on the side of the center rose. So that you are prepared to speak as soon as the prior speaker finishes. You MAY begin. >>speaker: renc 8th st., miami, 33 135 . For every one dollar the company invests in arts and culture $42 is return to our community through audience spending and business partnerships. Ours are not a luxury and miami-dade, they are a $2.2 billion economic engine that supports 32,000 local jobs attracts 22 million participants each year and fuels our tourism hospitality and small businesses. Beyond economics the arts transform life. Cultural programs serve our communities, youth seniors and people with disabilities. They strengthen the neighborhoods, preserve our heritage and give residents a sense of belonging and that's why we're asking for 100% restored arts funding maintaining a department of cultural affairs and also for a long-term sustainable funding model that gives our cultural relations state the to plan anything and drive impact for decades to come. The arts just don't take public dollars, they give back many times over the hearts mean community and the arts mean miami-dade. >>chair: I might have missed that one rule. I knew it, it seemed short. No clapping in the chamber so if you agree with somebody you do this thing my predecessor started. You do the finger thing smile. Wink at us no clapping. Can wink or blank, what is it? That's fine. No other thinkers . Go ahead, sorry about that. >> MISS Hayes, 33136 and I want to start by thanking you for the revisions you've made to your aready tight proposed budget to increase funding for arts and culture, to our county commissioners I hope for your support and I'm asking for 100% restoration of grant funding, yes time of limited resources the instinct is to focus on food shelter and protection as these are undeniable facets of survival but survival is not the same as life. Once people are closed fed and housed they do not stop needing and in fact they start needing community and healing. This is when you are to become not optional but essential, gutting the sector does not create fairness, it removes lifelines to already marginalized communities. When budgets are tight we must find what works in the arts work. Every one dollar brings the return of $42 to miami-dade economy. The arts are an economic engine and if we want to 30525 must stay one has made miami-dade county the cultural capital it is which is arts and culture funding. >>speaker: and in jones district 5, 37 sw. 8th st., thank you members of the commission and mayor daniela levine cava for allowing me to speak, the arts are more than culture institutions, they create jobs fuel tourism and get our community something to lead on besides basic needs. These organizations rely on public funding to provide low-cost programs that educate uplift and engage our communities. Cutting this funding will not only weaken these institutions but our children who depend on afterschool programs, vendors who are familiar faces that keep miami-dade and acted and countless individuals who livelihoods depend on the creative economy arts drive a sense of collaboration, partnering with schools nonprofits to extend their reach and impact. Fully funding the arts and culture but it is not charity, it's an investment in miami-dade future read without it we risk losing the things that make this community pride and as I said last year and will sy it again we are economic drivers and community builders and we deserve full funding. >>chair: thank you, go ahead. >> constance collins, addressed to 17 nw. 15th st. In miami florida. Over the past two decades of this house has served as the last and final safety net for women and children in need in our community. Over 13,500 women and children experiencing homelessness in every district of our county. Violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children. The proposed budget will shatter 50 of our domestic violence and trafficking beds at lola's house. We urge you to restore this funding in the budget which is they are now currently and historically from general funds. This is , this cut is in addition to the cvo cuts we are facing for our parenting programs and our housing coordination. safe shelters save lives . We urge you if public safety is your primary concern to make sure women and children are not forced to remain in abusive situations. >>chair: thank you so much . >>speaker: alexa, 33134, and one face of many phases, from an artistic unity that serves loveless and transforms we are not only dreamers raising up a boon for inspiration we are the workers, movers, and voices of 30,000 workers. We are an economic force. We are not here to bag but to claim our value. We are the face of art. Standing for a long-term solution for sustainable funding for the respect we have earned te value we bring. Art is essential. I am one of many faces from our artistic community and we are all the face of art . >>chair: thank you. >>speaker: elizabeth blake, sw. 1st st., 33130. I was almost 12 years old living with my mom on a piece of plastic, I would go to school and work afterwards, katie lotus house in high school. Lotus has provided me with a way to graduate high school and continue to college, helped me with a tutor and many other resources and during my time as a guest I became one of their first insurance for their operation and helped me move out. They gave me the stability I needed to become independent and support myself and my mother. Working at lotus house I come across so many women and children experiencing homelessness and going through different situations, some being domestic violence victims. Losing this funding will be devastating and not only give young women like myself a life saving opportunity but lotus house takes a village. >>speaker: celia cruz, I was raised in miami and it was in the city , the city of miami I rode out of the tropics, a played bard from florida's voices and silences, a play that won the pulitzer prize and carried our florida story far beyond our shores to places as far as russia, europe and china. That journey was possible because this city, the city of miami once believed in the power of art because it shows to nurture memory, heritage and spirit. Today the climate seeks to silence books and sensor history. The arts are not a luxury, they are a necessity. They are the breath of the city, the vessel of our memory, the proof that we have lived. To stop funding for culture is not a budget decision, it is an act of erasing memory though I say to you please continue to believe in the power of art. Protect our ancestral and collective memory. Protect the soul of miami. >> tanya keeper, I am here for clio institute for climate change. Okay. For climate change for extreme climates, I'm sorry. We want to make sure that elderly people... We need your help, thank you. >>chair: thank you so much. Man . >>speaker: deborah davis and I live at 330 19th st. >>speaker: deborah davis and I live at 330 19th st. For the elderly as you guys know also getting the mayor, as you guys know every year the heat gets hotter and hotter. The building I live in we only have air conditioning in the bedroom. In the front of the kitchen you cook in it is so hot so I'm asking to consider using some of the budget for over town to put the ac in our building. We need a c in our building because it causes heat strokes and heart attacks for the elderly and I'm quite sure you all have elderly parents and understand what I'm saying. Please consider putting a c in our building. Thank you for llowing me to share. >>chair: from the list I called I have walker, elizabeth blake and I think did tanya cooper speak already? All right, so walker mosley and elizabeth blake. Okay. So the next set is marjorie brnett . J crawford . [Reading names] If the sergeants could take them the microphone. >>speaker: mod burnett and I live in southwest avenue. And I'm asking what's the reason because for us it's a way of life and not only will we lose our old life and you are taking it away. ... Allow us to not be invisible and we will become a family. It is a whole way of life and it's a way we support ourselves that we might not otherwise be . Thank you. >>chair: thank you. >>speaker: j crawford, I am marjorie's godfather and I live at 9401 sw. 122nd avenue when submitting a budget to make decisions to help as many people as possible and that's why I'm speaking for funding for the arts. It cost effective use of small amounts of tx money. Years ago I trained ground search and rescue personnel for the air control. So many trainees focusing only on crash damage or obvious injuries yet when I often had to teach them was also to look for paths leading to safety that survivors MAY have already found rid our first responders are vital as remediation for disaster that something cheaper provide help in avoiding. To do this we can do things that help people look up and see better ways to help the fulfilled lives that don't need large costly interventions. The objective vlue comes from the arts is to help people look up and see ways away from negative downward views, seeing better ideals and opportunities for aimlessness and purposeless this in our lives. >>chair: j, thank you. >>speaker: theo karantsalis, 289 theo karantsalis, 289 shadow way, miami springs. Metro connect is not a luxury. It's a lifeline for thousands of miami-dade residents it's the only way to get to work to see a doctor , buy groceries or visit family. When age or disability takes away your ability to drive as it did me metro connect is often the only way to remain independent. Miami-dade is setting priorities and we need to focus our money on what is working and improve it. Metro connect is working and becoming more efficient and less expensive, we should continue to fund it and the county should restart the rfp it canceled to improve micro-transit services like metro connect and transit services or people with disabilities. We can always do better. These micro-transit services which are essential for the quality of life of everyone are just transit. It's the only way forward. Also I'm here on behalf of nami, the national alliance for the mentally il. I've lived with schizophrenia for about 15 years since age 15 . >>chair: thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for being here. >>speaker: thank you to all of you, I want to take a moment to say thank you. I say that sincerely because when I met with the budget it had no soul, he did not care about those of us who have barriers. Some of us sitting here we can catch our breath. I raise my hand and my chest, this is how we started out on social equity and when I look at what we funded, thank you mayor but I'm confused. As our priority. I don't play soccer, I don't plan on going to prison and I see the other 90 million and 30 million who go through other building projects when I want to be able to sustain myself. I've recently entertained many complaints and I'm still working as a person with disability. And it's okay. But please remember your social equity. I saw no equity in those expenditures and I need you now more than ever to be as creative as you can be. Go back again. We need more. There are more challenges than ever in these times, think if I was sitting in her sitting in my. There's some of us in the where we can't breathe. Fix that problem with the sanitation, fix that problem with water and sewer. Thank you so much again. >>chair: can you state your name and address? >> my name is in the clerk's office because of special circumstances. >>chair: thank you for that MISS Holds. >>speaker: my name is bernie martinez and I reside at 9511 >>speaker: my name is bernie martinez and I reside at 9511 houston blue blvd. Zip code 33172. So good afternoon commissioners, let me be clear. Underserved population, writers with disabilities will not, cannot and will not be silent. Any vote to raise the affairs of sts is a vote to tax the most vulnerable population. History will remember who stood with us and who chose to hurt us. I come before you today as an sts writer and as part of the miami dade underserved community , sts is our lfeline. Our way, this is our way to beach doctors, jobs and community. But now we are asked to pay more for the very same right that keeps us connected. That's why we're asking... >>chair: thank you sir, thank you for being here. Now I have anthony walter. >> my name is anthony walter, 1426 >> my name is anthony walter, 1426 nw. 70th st., district three. I'm here today for the second time to say we need to continue to fund the disabled people and get money to the soccer team coming to miami. We have people that homeless and people going to jail. I don't understand that, what is the people that retire from working, what is the benefit for the retired people but also the disabled people. >>chair: thank you so much MR. Walters. I'm ging to resume with the next batch and again I know those that needed the microphone can line up and resume what we did with the first batch. [Reading names]... [Reading names] >>chair: you MAY go, state your name and address . >>speaker: and the offer and I live at 6310 79th st. >>speaker: and the offer and I live at 6310 79th st., south miami in the district 7 . I am here to speak on behalf of arts funding and the department of cultural affairs. I'm thankful for the changes need to restoring the arts budget so far but I want full funding and complete autonomy of the department of cultural affairs. The culture section returns $42 for every grant investment and I'm worried about the loss of funds in our sector after massive cuts at the state and federal level and previous cuts at the county level. What happens to mid and small size organizations that have cut staff , what does it mean for kids who participate in the scholarship fund and lifesaving arts programs, what does it mean for servers that get little joy for the ticket show they can no longer happen and what happens to miami if we lose our young arts workers trying to make it a home between low wages and high cost of living? The arts weave the fabric of our community, I recognize the county is facing, thank you . >>speaker: mario meyer, 33133. Representing the women's fund miami dade but over 8000 people in our database are incredible community. I want to tell you all we each and every one of you thank you commissioners , CHAIRMAN, for your incredible service. I used to work in nonprofit and I've worked in nonprofit for five years, and 63 and in profit for a long time. I've never seen anybody or efficient then my colleagues here doing the service for all your constituents and for all our followers. I want to say the cbo's are really incredible. They do alot with very little and they do work for each and every one of us. From the general budget I will tell you in the name of all the survivors I have met with and learn from in the last five years and last 14 years excuse me we cannot do without a full shelters worth of lotus house, dvd and hd that. Thank you so much. >>chair: next. Albert. Go ahead. >>speaker: good evening, my name is damien, I was at 11342 southwest 1 63rd st. In miami. AUGUST was a difficult month for me. I almost was not here to even speak before you today because I was hospitalized and almost died. I am here to speak on behalf of many of the nonprofits that are here that are asking for the funding to be maintained. One of these nonprofits is helping me greatly as I tried to regain my strength and regain my health after my hospital stay. Without the help of nonprofits that provide services that are vital to people that insurance does not cover or that is not covered by other services that people could pay for is the advocacy network. They are helping me and 440 other families to get services that we need in order to maintain our dignity, our independence and health. I would like to thank you very much for your attention and remember me and others when you're making decisions about what to cut. Much. >>chair: thank you. >>speaker: 1391 night team st. And for the last four years we've been going through this budget. This county has been running off the trains, who is accounted for this, budget and finance. Somebody's got to be held accountable for this budget. We need a report for the last four years and where has the money gone, you can find money for everything else but the people and workers. It's sad and I sit here and we'll have communication with each other but you can't blame the mayor, you've got to blame all of you. You're the legislation of this body but where's the money for the people of the body? We're struggling. But I guess you all don't care. Open up the books and let us know where this money is going. budget and finance is the bookkeeper. You all hold me for what you want to get to, give the people what they want. >>speaker: sarah chapman, 1190 103rd court circle , 33173. Tonight I speak with urgency to fully restore arts and culture funding. I also am here to ask you to take action to preserve this funding. Despite the results of this arts community's collective outcry and partial restoration of funding for a proposed cuts to arts and culture grants and uncertainty of this funding future will cause irreversible harm to one of our greatest strengths, are vibrant divers arts sector read at the countywide level as you've heard our arts sector is an economic engine supporting 30,000 jobs. This is not charity, it's vision, meaningful economic support. At the organization level our organization relies on county grants to serve 1000 children annually. One of them a latino refugee who once found a second home in our county funded programs with eldership mentorship and opportunity harbor he went to graduate from harvard and run his own agency . Half years tori is a prayer, it's proof of what happens when miami invests in the arts. Investing in the arts is investing in children. >>speaker: MADAM Mayor, other elected officials I want to thank you for standing up for us and with us and creating affordable livable decent houses that people can move into. People with disabilities , big medical challenges. Here at shore park we continue to meet regularly with other advocate groups and looking for solutions . To help us keep that american dream. And please don't let the developers come in and make it an american nightmare. And once again in SEPTEMBER MADAM Mayor, at the birthday. >>chair: state your name for that matter . >>speaker: freddie gatlin, nw. Miami court, 33150 . >>chair: thank you so much . >>speaker: maxine long, ferdinand street >>speaker: maxine long, ferdinand st., coral gables 33134 in district 6. I am here to support full funding for the arts and maintaining funding for the arts. Keeping an independent department of cultural affairs and maintaining the millage rate to support the budget and the arts. I am a business lawyer I am a past chair of the florida business law section. Business needs the arts to keep miami dade a vibrant community. The arts generate more than $2 billion in this community and that is money that stays in this community and supports local businesses. Personally I support the arts on the board of the fusion organization that supports a program that allows miami-dade public school teams to express themselves in poetry and encouraged by music area but support is not enough. Individual support is not enough. >>vice chair: thank you so much, I appreciate you, thank you. >>speaker: reading honorable chair, vice chair, commissioners sharon fraser stevens, 6324 district 1, the great city. I'm here advocating for helping hands over at liberty square, catalyst miami one of the strongest grassroots , we took tallahassee by storm. Lotus house that helps women and children, the camillus house who has men women and children. Christie house, children who have been sexually abused. Christie house, also my commissioner, I carry this everywhere I go, I feel emotion because I love my commissioner, commissioner hardemon. >>vice chair: that's a beautiful face on that bag. >>speaker: don't get it twisted. And please my heart broke, animal service I've been telling animal service about those pit bulls. I dream about someone getting attacked, this happened in district 1, the young lady I know walking to work and she got attacked by rolling vicious pit bulls, please do something about those pit bulls and thank you, I love you commissioner hardemon . >>vice chair: let me try some more housekeeping rules, thank you everyone for the candor but one of the ground rules we set earlier is to refrain from calling commissioners by name. If you could do that it would be greatly appreciated so thank you so much. >>speaker: ken kilpatrick, executive director. 3300 nw. 27th avenue I want to thank the administration for your recommended funding. As you know our alternative of the programs generate $4.23 million in savings to the criminal justice system with over 620 releases facilitated by the program as of JULY 2024. Two months remaining in the grant year but the more critical statistic is the recidivism rate at 5% but entire year. Our program is an essential part of our community and a critical crime prevention tool. Because our agency provides a countywide footprint of services I'm asking this commission to consider an investment of nominal $35,000 per district to sustain these vital services to the community and cost savings to the system . >>speaker: walker mosley, 2876 sw. 21st st., miami, fl 33145. I am here to advocate for 100% restoration of the arts and cultural grant budget, an independent department of cultural affairs that places long-term investment to our cultural community. I'm the regional director for an organization called guitars over guns. Since 2008 we have served one in 7000 youth living below the poverty line in miami-dade county. 94% of those youth and maintain or improve their great averages, 99.9 have graduated on time. Talent is universal, opportunity. Organizations like guitars over guns are able to unlock youth potential because of support from the department of cultural affairs and thousands of youth will slip through the cracks without this institution in place. Of the 30 programs we are in light of those are high schools in this past year into our five high schools the valedictorians were guitars over guns students who had been with us and sixth grade. >>vice chair: jeff murray, rachel dasani, andy allen. Catherine miranda. Laura done. It was a martinez. Margaret led rick emily cardenas. [Reading] Please approach the well. And it's similar to everyone else state your name please along with your address. >> 3300 nw. 27th avenue >> 3300 nw. 27th avenue . >>chair: didn't capture name . >>speaker: jeff . >>commissioner gilbert: could you ask the room to be quite. >>vice chair: I think you just did that. Hey everyone, it's me again. Look, were going to have a great time this evening but the one thing that matters mst more so than a great time is respect. Each one of the speakers has pretty much waited in line just like you. Has given up valuable time with family and friends just like you and I know if you were speaking before they were going to be able to speak they would be listening to you too. Let's give them the undivided attention you would ask from them, does that work for you? Got you, thank you. Let's try that again . >> jeff murray, address 3300 nw. 27th avenue in miami florida and currently I serve as director of juvenile services for the icc program which is a vital part of the georgia heirs jones alternative program which has been serving our community tends 1982. For over four decades our agency has stood as a beacon of hope and guidance for our youth acting as mentors, coaches and advocates we have remained steadfast in our mission to uplift and empower the most vulnerable among us. This work is not merely a profession for me, it's a calling. A calling to be present in the lives of our youth service as a voice for those who are unheard and misguided and understood and we want to lead them to a path of productivity services and progress. I urge you to consider full funding for our program as requested. This support is not just an investment in our agency, it's an investment in our future, our community and to the lives of those who are the least, lost and left out. >>speaker: good afternoon MADAM Mayor, commissioners, my name is mold on the second, nw. 103rd st. Mold on the second, nw. 103rd st., hialeah gardens florida , 33016. I'm honored to represent the lowell and don family foundation, my parents lowell and betty built their businesses in miami-dade county . Inspired by his hard work and innovation, their legacy continues trough giving back to this community. Nonprofits are vital. Mentoring youth providing food and shelter , barons and uplifting neighborhoods. Strengthening them strengthens miami-dade county. Thanks to the office of budget and management led by david clodfelter for connecting us with a group called the miami foundation area guided by the principle that too much is given much is required we are proud to announce a $1 million gift to the miami foundation to support small nonprofits. Changing lives. We hope this inspires others to give back building a brighter future for miami-dade county. Thank you all and GOD bless you all and rebecca is here today and I'm giving you the check. Rebecca. >>vice chair: your breaking your own rules. Commissioner, you're an attorney, you know there's an exception to every rle in the courtroom. Do we have another million dollars out there? Commissioner higgins what did you say? Guy. Class good afternoon. My name is alva hernandez. i live at 85 , 8050 northwest, 8050 northwest miami court. My life is be to 26. And the zip code is 33150. We are here to ask your commissioners and MADAM Mayor. To continue supporting us as we face eviction. From our trailer homes. And to stand with the organizations that have supported us such as cjd. Ls gmi. And county housing entities. We have met regularly for years. And we organize and protect ourselves from eviction. And from other abuses we have faced at the park. We've been living at zora park for dcades now. And we need the county to support us to prevent us from homelessness . Based on the efforts to remove us from our trailer homes and force us to evict without any of the solution. And the support from the commissioners, from the mayor . >>vice chair: thank you so much. Thank you. Sergeants also as one person late can you make sure weakness for the next person in line to have them on deck so we can expedite this. Please. >> excuse me , MR. CHAIRMAN and members of the committee thank you for the opportunity to testify today. My name is andy allen, state director for best buddies. We are located at 100 southeast 100 se. 2nd st. In miami. Best buddies is a 501(C) Nonprofit organization that provides opportunities for one-to-one friendships, leadership training and supported employment for individuals with intellectual and develop mental disabilities. Best buddies teaches students with disabilities essential social skills that prepare them to be active members of the community and to be successful in the workplace. The return on investment for our programs is long-term. Training youth with intellectual developmental disabilities in the social skills they need to get and keep jobs makes them less reliant on public benefits. Ceo funding is critical to maintaining our services throughout the county. Currently we are serving over 1700 students in collaboration with miami-dade county. Loss of these funds would have catastrophic effect. >>vice chair: thank you so much. >> good evening mayor and commissioners, 12842 nw. 33rd place I am the social justice organizer for family action network movement. First I want to thank you for the continuous support you've given to other ceos in miami-dade over the previous years we have been a leading organization in south florida advocating for low income marginalized residents by providing critical services such as domestic violence intervention healthcare access summer camps and afterschool programs but we cannot complete this work without the county support. Eliminating cdl grants would force us to reduce staffing and decreasing the number of members we provide services to read this leaves countless residents without the support they rely on nonprofits like ours fill the gaps where county opposite is offices cannot meet demand. We urge you to make a responsible choice and continue fund all ceos for our community and well-being of your constituents, thank you . >> my name is catherine gilson miranda and alan at 770 southwest >> my name is catherine gilson miranda and alan at 770 sw. 22nd court, miami, fl 3143. I am on autism sectrum. I have been part of best buddies who thousand 11 and during that time it has truly made a huge impact on me in my life. I'm here to urge you to support the funding for essential community based organizations best buddies. Through best buddies I've learned to advocate for myself and others and gain confidence in my public speaking. These are skills that help me every day not just in best buddies but in my school , my community and in my job. Because best buddies supported me and helped me believe in myself I was able to get a job and since then I'm an elementary school. Working there has been such a rewarding experience and something I am very proud of. Best buddies has opened doors for me, talking important life skills and most importantly given me lasting friendships and opportunities that make me feel included and valued. >>vice chair: thank you MISS Miranda. If anyone needs public speaking skills coming to the well, miranda is opening up miranda speaking llc today. [Applause] >>speaker: paul christian, address 1431 1431 nw. 202nd st., miami, fl 33169, greetings commissioners. I am a political director and the lead organizer at the family action network born in DECEMBER. We have led many campaigns of civic engagement community empowerment and immigrant rights the same key and it is critical for miami-dade county to finance cbo's like us and we are relying on your continued support. The company invests cbo organizations the entire baseline is lifted. These investments strengthen the fabric of our neighborhoods and prevent much greater cost down the road which is a lesson I learned a lot in drinking water and sanitation, if you invest and build it now you will get a greater return and on behalf of fum thank you for the support and for your civic engagement initiative and for the dedicated work of dolores holly and her team and a special uplift to our partners many of whom your hearing from today and for our senior communities who are vulnerable, thank you so much. >> thank you for this opportunity to speak, my name is margaret ledford, 2351 >> thank you for this opportunity to speak, my name is margaret ledford, 2351 eckstein court read 3145. I am here to respectfully implore you to fully restore the cultural arts funding, keep the department of cultural affairs as independent department and I task you with securing the necessary funding to move and grow cultural arts funding in the future the last increased arts and culture saw from the county was in 2015 and since then cost of living has increased over 36% well your funding has decreased. My layman understanding is tallahassee has given you the independent authority to create ordinances that can actually fund the arts, for example half a percent on any building l $4 million like a luxury condo for instance would be a revenue game changer for the arts industry not to mention we would no longer have to flood your chamber to justify are of value and existence every year . I ask you to be bold and brave enough to implement an ordinance for the benefit of the arts and ensure your legacy by providing a long and healthy life for arts and culture in miami-dade county. Hello, my name is josc 3620 nw. 30th avenue here with engage miami here to specifically advocate for better public