At last week’s first budget hearing, lawmakers unanimously approved the budget and decided on the 2.3518 rate, which is $2.3518 of $1,000 of assessed property value, and generates $6.3 million in revenues for 2016-2017.
When the town initially released preliminary figures in June, town staff presented over $1.8 million worth of unfunded projects, including adding two police officers, black olive trees removal and replacement program, four beautification projects along the town’s main thoroughfare, hurricane preparedness, West Lakes Neighborhood Reforestation program, and senior and adult programs.
But during a two-day budget workshop last month, Town Manager Alex Rey and his staff were able to find the money to fund the West Lakes Neighborhood Reforestation program ($100,000), the tree removal and replacement program ($28,807) and the additional of two police officers ($250,000) with a COPS grant over the next three years to fund public safety services.
The senior and adult programming will be funded on a pay for play at no additional cost to the town.
According to Rey, the $32.2 million financial plan is a reduction of $6 million compared to the current budget.
“The budget proved at the onset to be challenging due to an increase in contractual services for police, grounds, rights-of-way and facility maintenance, group health insurance costs and general elections, offset by minimal increases in revenues,” Rey said.
Miami Lakes property tax value increased by $118.5 million as of July 1, an increase of only 4.4 percent over the previous year.
“While the increase in roll value is modest, it shows that over the last five years, the Town has been able to hold its value,” said Rey. “It is therefore important that we continue to invest in the Town’s infrastructure and beautification to make Miami Lakes a desirable place to be.”
Council members directed town staff to find money in the budget to restore some of the citizen committees’ funding.
The committees’ budgets for the next fiscal year is estimated at $193,150, which is $7,000 less than the last two years.
The Cultural Affairs Committee and the Youth Activities Task Force requested an increase of $7,700 and $3,900, respectively, but their requests are pending until the town can find the money in the budget.
Councilmember Nelson Rodriguez said the events organized by the committees’ and their volunteers makes Miami Lakes the envy of other cities.
“I have a friend who lives in Cooper City and talks about Movies in the Park,” he said. “He said ‘I wish we did this in Cooper City.’ Unpaid volunteers who make this town what it is, I think we should fund all of the committees.”
Councilmember Ceasar Mestre said the committees serve as a springboard for council members.
“With exception of the mayor, who has been elected since we became a town, all of us up here came through the committees,” he said. “That’s how we all got involved. I would like to see us find the money to restore the committees. It’s a great resource; we are getting a bunch of volunteers for free.”
Mayor Michael Pizzi, who has been sitting on the Town Council since incorporation, said he voted in favor to create the committees, and they have exceeded the town’s expectations.
“The committees, in the past decade, got what they needed to operate,” he said.
Pizzi said if possible, he would like to see some of the $300,000 donated for education as part of a development agreement be used to restore the committees’ budgets.
“A binding agreement to educate the youths,” he said.
Though the tax rate remains the same, residents will pay a slight tax hike since their property values increased.
As a result, Pizzi said he would like to see residents with Homestead Exemption protected regarding the state’s 2.2194 roll back rate.
For capital improvement projects, the town has allocated $778,588 for parks and recreation, including to the Mary Collins Community Center, Miami Lakes Optimist Park Marina and storage facility and new park furniture for the town’s pocket parks.
For transportation and storm water drainage improvements, the town is planning to spend $2.2 million for Windmill Gate Road and the Palmetto Expressway, roadway and drainage improvements at Lake Sarah, street repairs at Hutchinson Road, constructing a northbound right turn lane at N.W. 154 Street and 77 Court and widening of N.W. 164 Street and 87 Avenue.
The town’s biggest expense is police services capped at $7.6 million, followed by parks and recreation at $3.1 million, $2.7 million for general government operations, and $1 million for transportation.
The final budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m., Tuesday, September 20, at Miami Lakes Town Hall, 6601 Main Street. The next fiscal year begins on October 1.