The Town of Miami Lakes voted to cap the millage rate at 2.0732 for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
That rate, if not reduced further during two budget hearings in September, would mean a tax levy of $2.07 per $1,000 of assessed property, the council decided at its July 9 meeting.
The rate is flat, or the same as last fiscal year when the council chose the rollback rate. But a taxpayer may pay more if the value of their property has gone up.
As residents complain about the appearance and condition of the town’s parks, roads and sidewalks, the council struggled with the idea of further reducing services, including not being able to pay for a recurring wish list item: hiring three more cops.
Former Vice Mayor Nelson Rodriguez implored the council during the public comment period to not make tax cuts simply to appeal to some voters.
“I ask you to grow a spine, which I didn’t do,” Rodriguez said. “I voted for every budget cut … and I was wrong. At this point our town is deteriorating.
“We cannot continue to have the level of service that we expect at the rate that we’re paying,” he said.
Politics may be a factor in council members’ unwillingness to raise taxes: Marilyn Ruano and Luis Collazo are term-limited, while Josh Dieguez and Vice Mayor Tony Fernandez are running for office.
By the first week of August, it will be known how much in estimated revenues from the state and Miami-Dade County may be paid to the town, money that will help pay for municipal operations and services.
“Even leaving the millage rate flat, there would be things we would need to cut…,” Pidermann said.
There will not be money for special police details to manage traffic or prevent burglaries. Last fiscal year’s reduced schedules for mowing, mulching, flower planting and beach maintenance will continue.
Events like the Culinary Bike Tour may be canceled, as would holiday decorations. Training, travel to Tallahassee and the social media plan would all be reduced.
Pidermann said the approved 2.0732 millage cap is less than the tax rate during fiscal year 2008’s 2.4795, when there was a dramatic reduction in property values.
For fiscal year 2023-2024, the town transferred over $400,000 from the Miami Lakes Optimist Park capital fund to balance its budget. Large expenses planned for the next fiscal year include a $500,000 payment to former Mayor Michael Pizzi, part of the town’s $1.625 million legal settlement that is being paid in installments.
Pidermann said operations could be fully funded if the millage was increased to 2.4666, and three police officers could be hired if it went up to 2.5777.
Ruano proposed an amendment to set the cap at 2.4666.
“The only way we can move forward is 2.4666 and chipping little by little so tonight we do not deprive residents of essential services,” she said. “I’ve proposed rollback every year and only accomplished it once. [Last year] was the right year to give it to them. But we can’t continue to move in opposite directions when our contracts are sky high and there is no way to reconcile that….Set millage cap to 2.466 and look at what can be removed. I don’t think we can stay flat. It’s not possible this year."
Her amendment failed in a tie vote. In the end, they chose the flat rate of 2.0732, with Ruano and Morera voting against it. Mayor Manny Cid was absent.
Public hearings for the budget and millage rate will be at town hall on Sept. 12 and Sept. 26, at 6:30 p.m.