The Town Council voted to keep Miami Lakes’ millage rate flat for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
Currently the millage rate is set at 2.1577 or $2.15 per every $1,000 of assessed property value.
At the September 10 meeting, the council voted 4-2 to keep it at its current rate as the budget discussions began. The vote means they cannot raise the rate, but they can still vote to lower it at the final budget hearing on September 24.
At the hearing, the council began its first round of cuts for the budget, which included Councilman Steven Herzberg asking for a $100,000 reduction of the sinking fund.
A sinking fund is money set aside to help pay for projects over time in smaller amounts; money in the sinking fund is usually already earmarked for planned projects.
Town Manager Edward Pidermann said that to make the sinking fund for infrastructure work whole again, they would need an additional $199,352.
The budget presented on Sept. 10 had $426,000 set aside for the sinking fund, which would create a reserve should no unexpected infrastructure costs arise, Pidermann said.
Herzberg made a motion to lower the sinking fund by $100,000. He said even if they don’t do any of the planned projects, they would have money left over to carry forward for the next fiscal year.
“My position is that we don’t need that large of a reserve in the sinking fund,” Herzberg said.
Both Pidermann and Budget Director Melissa Hernandez expressed concerns about lower the fund since the town has projects planned for 2026-2027.
Councilman Alex Sanchez asked to get a list of the projects that are planned for the money.
Public Works Director Omar Santos said that there were about 100 projects that need to be funded for the coming fiscal year.
“When we’re talking about assets, it can be the roof of the building to an air conditioner at Mary Collins,” Santos said.
Santos explained that the projects that may need to be funded involve known improvements and end-of -life-cycle items, which the town has planned for.
Sanchez asked for the detailed list to be provided to them to ensure that they know what the planned projects are ahead of the final budget hearing.
The amendment presented by Herzberg passed with Councilmen Angelo Cuadra Garcia and Ray Garcia dissenting.
Pidermann said that the changes will be put in a contingency line in the budget to be presented on Sept. 24 so the council can see how they can use the money.
Two other amendments that passed unanimously were to put money from the liability insurance reduction and the reduction of the vehicle fleet by one into a savings line.
The main motion for the budget as presented passed with Cuadra Garcia and Garcia dissenting.