Testing the Thin Blue Line
6 years ago
Friday, July 31, 2009
Jackson Health Systems Execs Meet with Miami Herald Editorial Board
This is a window of opportunity for our readers to see what happens during a newspaper Editorial Board interview.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Broward Sierra Club Asks that you Comment.
Florida, Everglades National Park, the first 'biological park' in our nation's history, is being threatened anew. And this time it's not lack of water, agricultural runoff, sewage, excessive motorized recreation or Burmese pythons on the loose.
Anxious to double the size of its Turkey Point nuclear plant on the shores of Biscayne Bay with two new nuclear reactors, Florida Power and Light (FPL) is attempting to make use of an old utility corridor it still owns inside the borders of the recently acquired East Everglades Expansion Area of Everglades National Park. The plan being put on the table is for FPL to swap out this corridor for one on the park's eastern edge. Three separate lines would cross approximately 7 miles of what is currently national park property on more than 300 towers. Two of the three lines would carry 500,000 volts along towers 150 feet tall, while the third would carry 230,000 volts along 90 foot towers.
Consequences for the park would be enormous. First of all, the towers would dominate the eastern horizon of the entire East Everglades Expansion Area - the heart of the Shark River Slough and the main source of water for Everglades National Park. They would be visible as far away as the popular Shark Valley Visitor Center and tram/bicycle path. But aside from creating a permanent industrialized viewscape for our beloved park, there are other consequences. Scientists are concerned about damage to vegetation and fragile wetland soils; hydrological changes due to the massive concrete pads that would have to be put in place in the floodplain to support the towers; the likely spread of invasive plant species due to both construction and maintenance activities; and effects (including collisions and electrocutions) on wading birds (already reduced by over 90 percent in south Florida since the 1930s) and migratory birds.
Submit your comments directly to the National Park Service at the following website.
Anxious to double the size of its Turkey Point nuclear plant on the shores of Biscayne Bay with two new nuclear reactors, Florida Power and Light (FPL) is attempting to make use of an old utility corridor it still owns inside the borders of the recently acquired East Everglades Expansion Area of Everglades National Park. The plan being put on the table is for FPL to swap out this corridor for one on the park's eastern edge. Three separate lines would cross approximately 7 miles of what is currently national park property on more than 300 towers. Two of the three lines would carry 500,000 volts along towers 150 feet tall, while the third would carry 230,000 volts along 90 foot towers.
Consequences for the park would be enormous. First of all, the towers would dominate the eastern horizon of the entire East Everglades Expansion Area - the heart of the Shark River Slough and the main source of water for Everglades National Park. They would be visible as far away as the popular Shark Valley Visitor Center and tram/bicycle path. But aside from creating a permanent industrialized viewscape for our beloved park, there are other consequences. Scientists are concerned about damage to vegetation and fragile wetland soils; hydrological changes due to the massive concrete pads that would have to be put in place in the floodplain to support the towers; the likely spread of invasive plant species due to both construction and maintenance activities; and effects (including collisions and electrocutions) on wading birds (already reduced by over 90 percent in south Florida since the 1930s) and migratory birds.
Submit your comments directly to the National Park Service at the following website.
Federal help on the way to homeowners facing foreclosure.
The Miami Herald reported today that effective August 15th:
Financially troubled homeowners who have an FHA-insured loan can apply for a modification under a program parallel to "Making Home Affordable" to help lower their payments and avoid foreclosure.
With reports that County and City taxes are expected to rise, this will be a welcome relief to some South Florida homeowners.
Financially troubled homeowners who have an FHA-insured loan can apply for a modification under a program parallel to "Making Home Affordable" to help lower their payments and avoid foreclosure.
With reports that County and City taxes are expected to rise, this will be a welcome relief to some South Florida homeowners.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Florida Cabinet denies Lowe's move of Urban Development Boundary
According to the Miami Herald, the State Cabinet voted 3 to 1, siding with an administrative law judge, to reject the County Commission's move of the Urban Development Boundary for a Lowe's store. The County Attorney signaled that it was over for the County. Lowe's might appeal.
The Urban Environment League was a founding member and driving force in the Hold the Line movement which was a broad coalition of people, government entities and groups in favor of holding the line on development in areas not served by infrastructure. The UEL agrees with the ruling, we don't think it is the time to move the UDB line.
The Miami Herald says:
Environmentalists and urban planners hailed the decision, saying it sets a precedent for dealing with counties that attempt to bend state growth management laws and allow sprawl. They hope the ruling will halt attempts by politically powerful developers who are seeking to move development boundaries in other counties, including the creation of a new suburb on the Everglades' doorstep in Miami-Dade called Parkland.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
EPA recommends denying Lake Belt mining
Last week it was reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends denying nine mining applications affecting 6,800 additional acres of wetlands in Miami’s Lake Belt region. In a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in early July, EPA expresses concerns about the environmental impacts associated with the proposed limestone mining. This includes the potential to “significantly degrade aquatic resources,” EPA said in the letter. The region forms the buffer between the Everglades Ecosystem and the urban development of Miami. According to the EPA letter, the nine applications would expand mining activities of APAC-Southeast Inc., Florida Rock Industries Inc., Kendall Properties and Investments, Rinker Materials of Florida Inc., Sawgrass Rock Quarry Inc., Tarmac America LLC, White Rock Quarries and Opa-Locka West Airport. The latest decision in the ongoing legal battle came in January, when a judge ruled against the Corps of Engineers and the mining companies, setting aside 10 of the existing mining permits covering hundreds of acres. The industry appealed the judge’s partial mining ban, with oral arguments scheduled in October. Lake Belt mining permits were originally issued for 5,400 acres in 2002.
City Commissioner Sanchez requests date change for Miami 21
According to the Coconut Grove Grapevine a local Blog:
The public has been quite upset today after finding out that Mayor Manny Diaz called for a Miami 21 meeting early next month. Commission chairman Joe Sanchez issued a statement today urging the mayor to cancel the August 6 Miami 21 meeting party because of the outcry but also because there is a Commissioners workshop on the budget for next year, scheduled the same day.
"It is our mandate from the people to focus 100 percent on the budget crisis," said Comm. Sanchez in a letter to the mayor.
There were two budget workshops scheduled weeks ago by Sanchez's office so, unlike other years, when they go into budget meetings in September the Commissioners will be educated and knowledgeable about the budget issues and will have had a chance to ask hard questions of the administration, and will be able to knowledgably address the financial crisis that the City is in and deal with the out-of-control salaries and pensions. He considers that the highest priority.
In all reality, it was a slimy decision on the mayor's part to have a Miami 21 meeting in the dead of summer when many interested parties are out of town. On the other had, the Commissioners' budget workshops do not involve the public, the public budget meetings are in September when most people are back in town.
The public has been quite upset today after finding out that Mayor Manny Diaz called for a Miami 21 meeting early next month. Commission chairman Joe Sanchez issued a statement today urging the mayor to cancel the August 6 Miami 21 meeting party because of the outcry but also because there is a Commissioners workshop on the budget for next year, scheduled the same day.
"It is our mandate from the people to focus 100 percent on the budget crisis," said Comm. Sanchez in a letter to the mayor.
There were two budget workshops scheduled weeks ago by Sanchez's office so, unlike other years, when they go into budget meetings in September the Commissioners will be educated and knowledgeable about the budget issues and will have had a chance to ask hard questions of the administration, and will be able to knowledgably address the financial crisis that the City is in and deal with the out-of-control salaries and pensions. He considers that the highest priority.
In all reality, it was a slimy decision on the mayor's part to have a Miami 21 meeting in the dead of summer when many interested parties are out of town. On the other had, the Commissioners' budget workshops do not involve the public, the public budget meetings are in September when most people are back in town.
Monday, July 27, 2009
"Miami 21" Zoning Ordinance Will Go Before The City of Miami Commission August 6th, 2PM
Just when most of us are on vacation (mentally or physically) there will be a very important City of Miami vote on Miami 21 - the ambitious rezoning of the City of Miami. What is your opinion?
Ours is: Important public hearings should not be held in August.
Read the notices on 16A-17A in the Miami Herald or look at the notices on-line, there is a PDF. Our criticism is that the notices should be in color on-line, as a land-use map not is color, with a color key rendered in B&W, is not useful.
Ours is: Important public hearings should not be held in August.
Read the notices on 16A-17A in the Miami Herald or look at the notices on-line, there is a PDF. Our criticism is that the notices should be in color on-line, as a land-use map not is color, with a color key rendered in B&W, is not useful.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Boothless Tolling on Rickenbacker Causeway? My View by Dario Gonzalez
It would be unwise to pursue boothless tolling on the Rickenbacker Causeway unless we can first slow traffic as it enters the Causeway. Yes, an oxymoron, wait then hurry up.
Electronic toll collection technology is all the rage but only appropriate for highways. The Causeway functions like the majority of our roads where vehicle drivers interact with others and negotiate movement in conflicting directions. Signals, stop signs and lower speed limits are some of the ways those interactions are managed. Anyone watching traffic from outside of a moving vehicle knows that traffic already moves too fast on the Causeway.
The number of accidents, car-car as well as bicycle-car, attest to the dangerous speed of traffic and the occurrence of this behavior is evident by the frequent scene where cops are issuing motorists citations. The Causeway is heavily trafficked by Key Biscayne residents, tourists and used recreationally by area residents; it is not solely a conduit delivering vehicles from Miami to the end of the Key. Unfamiliar drivers, first time or, occasional visitors may drive more slowly and erratically as they figure their way towards their destination and take in the skyline. Besides the fact that the Causeway has many, many lanes, it bears little similarity to a highway.
Do we need a Rickenbacker Highway for higher density and intensity development? Miami needs to embrace the maturity of dense building but highways don’t have to be a part of that future. Without planned areas of preservation, areas targeted for dense development are counter productive. People living in dense areas would search further away from the urban core for recreational activity, further into the ever-expanding fringes of our County. That type of exploration encourages sprawl and creates even more traffic. Removing an oasis from the urban core does not bring us closer to the sort of maturity that typifies a metropolitan city.
Electronic toll collection technology is all the rage but only appropriate for highways. The Causeway functions like the majority of our roads where vehicle drivers interact with others and negotiate movement in conflicting directions. Signals, stop signs and lower speed limits are some of the ways those interactions are managed. Anyone watching traffic from outside of a moving vehicle knows that traffic already moves too fast on the Causeway.
The number of accidents, car-car as well as bicycle-car, attest to the dangerous speed of traffic and the occurrence of this behavior is evident by the frequent scene where cops are issuing motorists citations. The Causeway is heavily trafficked by Key Biscayne residents, tourists and used recreationally by area residents; it is not solely a conduit delivering vehicles from Miami to the end of the Key. Unfamiliar drivers, first time or, occasional visitors may drive more slowly and erratically as they figure their way towards their destination and take in the skyline. Besides the fact that the Causeway has many, many lanes, it bears little similarity to a highway.
Do we need a Rickenbacker Highway for higher density and intensity development? Miami needs to embrace the maturity of dense building but highways don’t have to be a part of that future. Without planned areas of preservation, areas targeted for dense development are counter productive. People living in dense areas would search further away from the urban core for recreational activity, further into the ever-expanding fringes of our County. That type of exploration encourages sprawl and creates even more traffic. Removing an oasis from the urban core does not bring us closer to the sort of maturity that typifies a metropolitan city.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Frank Rollason says: The financial crisis gives Miami a chance to get back to basics.
Opportunity in Adversity appeared in the "Biscayne Times," a monthly publication about the Biscayne Corrridor, published by Jim Mullin.
It’s budget time for local governments, and the pressure is on like never before. The county’s newly elected property appraiser has already sounded the alarm, delivering the “bad news” to municipal leaders that the assessed value of real estate has dropped significantly. That will have a negative impact on governmental coffers. The leaders have only two choices -- they can raise their millage rate or cut their budgets.
The millage is the rate at which we are taxed on our real property, and it is set by our local elected officials. Right now in the City of Miami, we have a millage rate of 8.25, which means that we pay $8.25 for every $1000 of assessed value. So if the value of your home is currently set at $400,000, you multiply the millage rate (8.25) times 400 (the number of thousands at which your home was valued), resulting in real-estate tax imposed by the city alone in the amount of $3300. Your total property taxes, including those levied by all the taxing authorities (the county, the school district, and the state) would be $8862.
Now, let’s say your assessed value has dropped 20 percent to $320,000 and the millage rate remains the same. Your new City of Miami taxes would be $2640 -- a reduction of $660. However, here comes the rub. If the current millage rate is maintained, the available property taxes to the city government will drop by the same 20 percent. You can see the dilemma facing our elected officials. They must either raise the millage to make up the difference, cut the budget by the amount of lost tax revenue, or enact some combination of the two. No elected official wants to sit in the “raise taxes” hot seat.
Before commissioners finalize the budget, they must first set the maximum millage rate for the coming year. They can lower it at the final hour, but once set, they cannot raise it. So to hedge their bets, they will almost surely raise the millage rate to a level that will produce enough revenue to run the city -- based on projected new property assessments. Therefore it is our elected city commissioners and no one else who ultimately determine what our taxes will be.
The commissioners and the mayor set the tone for what kind of budget the city administration will propose. For instance, if the commission were to pass a resolution directing the city manager to present a budget requiring no millage increase, the administration would have clear marching orders to develop a budget significantly reduced from last year.
Such a directive would, in turn, elicit a response from the administration that services will most certainly have to be cut, usually through staff layoffs. This is known as the “sky is falling” scenario. All the doom-and-gloom predictions are delivered to the elected officials with a basic message: “Sure, we can cut the budget, but you commissioners will be responsible for cutting those services your constituents now enjoy, from police and fire protection to trash pickup, parks programs, road maintenance, and much more.”
You can imagine the commissioners squirming, then posturing, as they prepare us for the inevitable.
We taxpayers recognize the realities facing us and that something has to give. First, our basic services (police, fire, solid waste) are not going to be cut -- that would be political suicide. We will probably end up with a hybrid of the two options, some cuts and some millage increase, with the hope that property values will come rise over the next few years and the millage can be lowered.
The main issue to be addressed is how we got into this position. Governments have a tendency to grow in size and expenditures, consuming greater and greater amounts of money until the squeal factor kicks in -- that’s the point at which taxpayers start raising hell. When times are good and residents are sharing in a booming economy, it’s easier to spend more without sparking complaints.
It’s been relatively painless for our elected officials over the past few years because the cash flow has increased as a result of property values rising at an unprecedented rate. The assessed values have increased so much, in fact, that Miami commissioners have been able to lower the millage side of the tax equation while revenues actually increased. Though they boast that they’ve lowered our taxes, they really have not. They’ve just lowered the rate at which taxes are calculated. Today, however, the “cheese is binding,” as they say, and something must change. I suggest the following actions be taken by our elected officials:
• Keep the millage exactly where it is right now. Because that will mean a drop in revenue, the stage will be set for meaningful budget cuts.
• Direct the city manager to develop a “zero-based budget” (ZBB) instead of the “line-item budget” currently employed. A ZBB process requires city departments to begin with zero dollars and build up their proposed budgets from there, starting with required or mandated expenses (union contracts, service contracts, fees, and so on), and working their way toward the end product. This method quickly and clearly identifies discretionary expenditures that can be eliminated -- just as you and I do every day, depending upon our available cash.
The line-item-budget process allows departments to begin planning where they left off the previous year and make adjustments, usually by implementing five-percent or ten-percent reductions. The “damaging results” of those cuts (the doom-and-gloom scenario) are then presented to the commission by the city manager. Keep in mind that roughly 80 percent of Miami’s budget is consumed by salaries and fringe benefits. Significant cuts are simply not possible without impacting employees. By utilizing the ZBB process, the impact on the employees will be greatly reduced as unnecessary programs and expenditures are ferreted out.
• Eliminate all departments and offices not specifically called for in the city charter. It’s time to get back to basics, and there is no better way to trim the fat than to eliminate those functions not dictated by the voters of the city. If a function is truly necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of the residents, just place it before the voters and have it approved and made a mandate of the charter -- plain and simple.
It’s also time for our elected officials to bring the mission of the municipal government into focus. The pending budget crisis should be viewed as an overdue opportunity to get the city back on track providing the basic services for which it was formed, building up reserves for lean times, and making this community an affordable place in which to live, work, raise a family, and retire without the constant fear of being pushed out because of taxes that are out of control.
It’s budget time for local governments, and the pressure is on like never before. The county’s newly elected property appraiser has already sounded the alarm, delivering the “bad news” to municipal leaders that the assessed value of real estate has dropped significantly. That will have a negative impact on governmental coffers. The leaders have only two choices -- they can raise their millage rate or cut their budgets.
The millage is the rate at which we are taxed on our real property, and it is set by our local elected officials. Right now in the City of Miami, we have a millage rate of 8.25, which means that we pay $8.25 for every $1000 of assessed value. So if the value of your home is currently set at $400,000, you multiply the millage rate (8.25) times 400 (the number of thousands at which your home was valued), resulting in real-estate tax imposed by the city alone in the amount of $3300. Your total property taxes, including those levied by all the taxing authorities (the county, the school district, and the state) would be $8862.
Now, let’s say your assessed value has dropped 20 percent to $320,000 and the millage rate remains the same. Your new City of Miami taxes would be $2640 -- a reduction of $660. However, here comes the rub. If the current millage rate is maintained, the available property taxes to the city government will drop by the same 20 percent. You can see the dilemma facing our elected officials. They must either raise the millage to make up the difference, cut the budget by the amount of lost tax revenue, or enact some combination of the two. No elected official wants to sit in the “raise taxes” hot seat.
Before commissioners finalize the budget, they must first set the maximum millage rate for the coming year. They can lower it at the final hour, but once set, they cannot raise it. So to hedge their bets, they will almost surely raise the millage rate to a level that will produce enough revenue to run the city -- based on projected new property assessments. Therefore it is our elected city commissioners and no one else who ultimately determine what our taxes will be.
The commissioners and the mayor set the tone for what kind of budget the city administration will propose. For instance, if the commission were to pass a resolution directing the city manager to present a budget requiring no millage increase, the administration would have clear marching orders to develop a budget significantly reduced from last year.
Such a directive would, in turn, elicit a response from the administration that services will most certainly have to be cut, usually through staff layoffs. This is known as the “sky is falling” scenario. All the doom-and-gloom predictions are delivered to the elected officials with a basic message: “Sure, we can cut the budget, but you commissioners will be responsible for cutting those services your constituents now enjoy, from police and fire protection to trash pickup, parks programs, road maintenance, and much more.”
You can imagine the commissioners squirming, then posturing, as they prepare us for the inevitable.
We taxpayers recognize the realities facing us and that something has to give. First, our basic services (police, fire, solid waste) are not going to be cut -- that would be political suicide. We will probably end up with a hybrid of the two options, some cuts and some millage increase, with the hope that property values will come rise over the next few years and the millage can be lowered.
The main issue to be addressed is how we got into this position. Governments have a tendency to grow in size and expenditures, consuming greater and greater amounts of money until the squeal factor kicks in -- that’s the point at which taxpayers start raising hell. When times are good and residents are sharing in a booming economy, it’s easier to spend more without sparking complaints.
It’s been relatively painless for our elected officials over the past few years because the cash flow has increased as a result of property values rising at an unprecedented rate. The assessed values have increased so much, in fact, that Miami commissioners have been able to lower the millage side of the tax equation while revenues actually increased. Though they boast that they’ve lowered our taxes, they really have not. They’ve just lowered the rate at which taxes are calculated. Today, however, the “cheese is binding,” as they say, and something must change. I suggest the following actions be taken by our elected officials:
• Keep the millage exactly where it is right now. Because that will mean a drop in revenue, the stage will be set for meaningful budget cuts.
• Direct the city manager to develop a “zero-based budget” (ZBB) instead of the “line-item budget” currently employed. A ZBB process requires city departments to begin with zero dollars and build up their proposed budgets from there, starting with required or mandated expenses (union contracts, service contracts, fees, and so on), and working their way toward the end product. This method quickly and clearly identifies discretionary expenditures that can be eliminated -- just as you and I do every day, depending upon our available cash.
The line-item-budget process allows departments to begin planning where they left off the previous year and make adjustments, usually by implementing five-percent or ten-percent reductions. The “damaging results” of those cuts (the doom-and-gloom scenario) are then presented to the commission by the city manager. Keep in mind that roughly 80 percent of Miami’s budget is consumed by salaries and fringe benefits. Significant cuts are simply not possible without impacting employees. By utilizing the ZBB process, the impact on the employees will be greatly reduced as unnecessary programs and expenditures are ferreted out.
• Eliminate all departments and offices not specifically called for in the city charter. It’s time to get back to basics, and there is no better way to trim the fat than to eliminate those functions not dictated by the voters of the city. If a function is truly necessary for the health, safety, and welfare of the residents, just place it before the voters and have it approved and made a mandate of the charter -- plain and simple.
It’s also time for our elected officials to bring the mission of the municipal government into focus. The pending budget crisis should be viewed as an overdue opportunity to get the city back on track providing the basic services for which it was formed, building up reserves for lean times, and making this community an affordable place in which to live, work, raise a family, and retire without the constant fear of being pushed out because of taxes that are out of control.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
The MIMO on BIBO
Mimo on Bibo is the Miami Modern District on Biscayne Blvd.
Their Website says:
Our volunteers are from all walks of life with sights set to continue on the path to bring the MiMo Biscayne Boulevard Historic District to the forefront and show everyone it is a vibrant and welcoming “destination”.
Our common goal is our motto: “Progress through Preservation”.
UEL Former President, Nancy Liebman, is active in the group.
The restaurants in the districts are always going the extra mile. For example ANISE WATERFRONT TAVERNA has live music and dance shows. Every Wednesday, starting tonight they are having sound from Greece, Spain and the Mediterranean.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Florida Department of Revenue what is the Reasoning?
Miami Herald Columnist, Jackie Bueno Sousa, reported in the Herald yesterday that property records are not being listed accurately on the My Home, property appraiser website. People buying distressed properties (foreclosures) are listed as the owner, but the prior selling price and prior sale date is listed under their name. This is printing false records. In Broward they put the new information in except they put a "D" next to it signifying it is Distressed and will not be counted per orders from the Florida Department of Revenue.
How does this action by the Dept. of Revenue Statewide, change all of Florida reporting numbers?
How does this action by the Dept. of Revenue Statewide, change all of Florida reporting numbers?
Monday, July 20, 2009
Mayor Carlos Alvarez talks to the Editorial Board about the Budget
Change of plans. We tried to post the video of the Editorial Board meeting but it crashed the blog. Now it is gone from the Herald site. Here is the Marlin's groundbreaking instead and much more embarrassing and should be seen by Miami Dade residents so they know who to thank when they go to vote:
Friday, July 17, 2009
Virginia Key Master Plan: Smoke, Mirrors & Toilets. By meow
What I've read about the EDSA plan makes me wonder about the creative talents of the Stone family. This is not meant to speak ill of the departed, but the late Edward Durell Stone Jr., founder of EDSA, was the son of a prolific architect. In the 1960s, Edward Sr. was commissioned by Vanderbilt University to design a complex of six undergraduate dormitories. What he came up with was some very nice-looking buildings with a lot of modern touches, except for one important thing: The three toilets on each floor had no doors or even partitions, and, to make matters worse, they sat directly opposite the large mirror mounted above the long row of communal sinks.It makes me wonder if the same sense of taste influenced the master plan for Virginia Key.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
What an interesting day in Miami for local news of Baseball, Budget and Parks . . . by Fran Bohnsack
Today's UEL blog features a Letter to the Editor (borrowed from the Miami Herald) that hails from a Chicago resident. Readers may recall that Chicago is often cited by the Mayor of Miami as the "world class city" that Miami wants to be. Yet somehow this writer's take on the Marlins' stadium calls Miami's "world class project" the "fleecing of taxpayers." Truer words were never spoken. On the same day, Miami-Dade Commissioner Carlos Gimenez expresses outrage that the proposed Miami-Dade budget includes a millage increase "right off the bat." He objects. Wish we had a few more like him. And if any of you noticed, the budget also includes cutting the Parks department by 25%! Time to take some corrective action ... ideas anyone?
Posted on Thu, Jul. 16, 2009
Oversight warranted on stadium project Re the July 12 editorial Jaw-dropping Marlins stadium deal: Kudos to The Miami Herald for calling out the problems with the Marlins stadium deal -- even as the price tag climbs to $2.4 billion before ground has been struck. Such corporate welfare and outright fleecing of taxpayers for the sake of building an already-over-budget baseball stadium is especially dangerous during these foul economic times.
Increasing the tax burden on tourism, a key industry for the Miami area, absolutely will hurt the local economy. While local officials and taxpayers might believe that residents will not have to bear these tax burdens, they are sorely mistaken.
Increased hotel taxes result in reduced demand for hotel rooms, which means fewer jobs and a weakened overall business climate.
There is near-unanimous agreement among economists that subsidizing stadiums and convention centers is bad public policy. Yet governments continue to shovel tax dollars into these high-profile, low-return projects. As The Miami Herald suggests, proper oversight and transparency of the process is a must.
JOHN NOTHDURFT, legislative specialist, The Heartland Institute, Chicago
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Mayor Carlos Alvarez to release proposed budget for FY 2009-2010 Today
Mayor Carlos Alvarez will release and discuss details of the proposed budget for FY 2009-2010 at a news conference today, at noon. He said:
"Miami-Dade County is facing a budget gap of nearly $400 million, my goal is to present a responsible budget proposal that balances the demands for service with the costs of providing that service. Every hard choice is being considered, and together with our Board of County Commissioners, we will work to address the needs of our community."
Through targeted reductions, Miami-Dade County has successfully closed budget gaps totaling more than $400 million dollars during the past two fiscal years.
"Miami-Dade County is facing a budget gap of nearly $400 million, my goal is to present a responsible budget proposal that balances the demands for service with the costs of providing that service. Every hard choice is being considered, and together with our Board of County Commissioners, we will work to address the needs of our community."
Through targeted reductions, Miami-Dade County has successfully closed budget gaps totaling more than $400 million dollars during the past two fiscal years.
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