Nobody left happy from the Miami-Dade Commission meeting Tuesday where our electeds dealt with the county’s $6.2 billion budget for the fi
rst time as a whole.
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez can’t be happy that all three of his recommended tax rates — for the general fund, the fire department and the libraries — were not rubber stamped by the commissioners. He got his revenge on cops and firefighters in a meeting where he blamed the entire budget shortfall on the county’s greedy employees. But the commission — apparently heeding speaker after speaker who said that libraries were treasures that needed to be sustained — gave the bibliotecas a slight increase. “Let me be very clear. I will be vehemently against raising taxes,” Gimenez, who has said he would veto a tax increase, said at one point during the meeting.
Read related story: 5 things to know on Mayor’s $6.2 billion Miami-Dade budget
Library advocates can’t be happy, though. They wanted $64 million to not only save jobs but restore hours cut last year, continue to fund programs, plan for future needs — there are neighborhoods like Hialeah Gardens that still need a library — and increase materials and book purchases. Did you know that there is only $90,000 budgeted for children’s books and materials? They only got $51 million or so from their tax increase — Commissioner Xavier “Mayor Sir” Suarez’s motion to give them the whole $64 mil failed — though they inexplicably still get the general fund and fire department monies. The people with the blue shirts emblazoned with “Save the Libraries,” who had waited almost half a day for the vote, were heard outside commission chambers complaining about the lack of leadership shown today.
Animal lovers can’t be happy. The Pet’s Trust founders and a couple of supporters spoke in favor of attaining that no-kill shelter status that voters approved overwhelmingly, with 64% of the vote. But the commission chose to ignore them again.
Firefighters can’t be happy. They still got raided to the tune of $3.3 million to fund the libraries but won’t get the fireboat that maybe may have made a difference in the tragic death of four boaters on the Fourth of July. Maybe not. But the incident is an all too real reminder that we live in an area surrounded by water and another tragedy can be averted if we are better prepared. You cannot argue with that.
Fire Union President Al Cruz said it made no sense that they would still have to lose $3,3 million after being so close to severe cuts last year, when the mayor threatened to fire up to 149 firefighters and shut down units (read: rescue trucks).
“Please leave the millage flat,” Cruz cried to deaf ears, explaining that our paramedics force had gone from 2,200 to 1,900 in five years. He reminded them that this year, the fire budget was balanced with $9 million from the general fund reserves and an $11,000-a-year federal grant that expires after next year.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Cruz told Ladra, about having the $3.3 mil pulled out this year and added that, despite assurances from the administration, there is no guarantee the federal grant will be extended past 2014-15.
Cops can’t be too happy. There was no support for a move by Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz to increase the general fund enough to keep all the police on the force. And Gimenez continued to downplay the firing of up to 230 officers, a move he said would not be felt on patrol. He said that some teams would be eliminated — like one SWAT team out of four — and others would be reduced in size. But he didn’t say that there would be entire units dismantled, like domestic violence, the Robbery Intervention Unit and the Tactical Narcotics Team. Details, details.
Read related story: Miami-Dade budget — a moving target of fuzzy math
PBA President John Rivera told Ladra the message the mayor sent was that “public safety is not a priority” and he said he hopes that at least most of the eliminated positions are vacant ones “they are carrying on the books right now.”
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