The $2.5 billion bond proposal that Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava surprised on everyone at the State of the County address Wednesday has not been well received by everyone — especially some members of the county commission, which would need to approve any ballot measure.
Sen. Rene Garcia issued a statement late Friday that said the mayor is out of touch with residents.
“Mayor Cava’s $2.5 billion bond referendum is disconnected from the significant economic challenges our residents are facing,” he posted on social media, with a longer statement. “Let’s save taxpayer money instead of asking for more.”
In his “sound the alarm” statement, Garcia says that property values in Miami-Dade have risen significantly and have yielded more revenue for local government.
Read related: Mayor Daniella Levine Cava drops $2.5 billion bomb, er, bond plan at SOTC
“The priority of Miami-Dade should be focused on successfully completing pending housing projects, streamlining its current $10 billion budget, fulfilling promises already made for transportation infrastructure and ensuring urgently needed and long overdue renovations at Miami International Airport are properly and timely completed,” Garcia said. “We need to ensure we identify where we can save the taxpayers money, not ask them for more.”
Many of the commissioners were blindsided.
“I was surprised to learn of the proposed bond while sitting in the audience,” said Commissioner Kevin Cabrera, who was the commissioner who moved to reduce the county millage rate by 3% during the past budget hearing. “As a matter of principle, I think we should be lowering taxes and providing relief to our residents.”
Cabrera, who recently got Donald Trump’s endorsement for vice chair of the state GOP, can’t afford to support such a measure.
Commissioner JC Bermudez, who is still waiting to see how the county is going to fund the replacement of the incinerator in Doral, said he was more surprised about the amount and the lack of details.
Read related: Miami-Dade wants $125 mil more from surtax and People’s Transportation bond
“I had heard discussions about looking at a bond for parks,” Bermudez told Ladra Saturday. “This is a little different. We don’t know the details. We’re going to wait and see what she proffers.
“But, after the experience of the half penny sales tax, I’m never going to be supportive of something that’s not specific,” he said. “We need to know exactly what it’s going to be spent on. And it has to be something we need.
“I also don’t think it’s the time to ask the residents to support a bond for that amount of money,” Bermudez added.
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Mrs. Cava should be ashamed, she’s the worst Mayor Miami Dade County has had, and there was a surplus in the present budget. She still wants to ask the Citizens for more more, not for the county but for all the her new staff. She ousted all the old department directors and brought in new ones with outrageous salaries. She cares not for Miami Dade County Citizens, the County hall is full of chickens, excrements and homeless obstructing the path for any one visiting Dade County. Check out nbc local news dade solid waste director resigns warns county about possible trash troubles. That’s not the only county department with troubles her lack of leadership has turned the county into a cesspool. Example the airport troubles, public areas elevators, stairs broken, transportation chaos, homeless running rampant through out the county, along with the chickens. Can anyone identify one good thing Mrs. Cava has done for Miami Dade County ?
NO MORE TAXES. I can’t wait to leave Miami, let the millionares have it, I’m sick of this place.
Ms. Cava seems to be disconnected from the dade county middle class property owner who is strucggling with the high level of general taxation we are here, and the type of low income economy that dade county is with the exception of the Coral Gables, Pinecrest, South Miami residents that live in a different part of the world.
NO MORE TAXES on us property owners.
I think we should all wait and see the details of the plan. Will it fund sewer lines instead of people having to replace septic tanks every so many years or when they do an addition to their houses? Will it fund other infrastructure? Will it fund more affordable housing which we desperately need?
Before we say “No” to this proposal, we really need to know what she is proposing in detail.
Are you kidding me? As a commissioner used to say, “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die.” You may not like Cava. You may see her as a foe because of her political affiliation but make no mistake Our infrastructure is in terrible shape. Do I want to get an additional charge on my property taxes? Hell no! However, this is the result of many years of neglect by former mayors. They all made conscientious decisions to kick the preverbal can down the road because they didn’t have the political courage to do it. Pay now or pay later, but this is a necessity. I wonder what Cava did to Ladra. You throw a lot of cover to Reyes who quite frankly is pretty spineless but throw Cava under the bus at every turn. Don’t get wrong, I am no fan of any politician but am a stickler for facts (which I know no one cares about anymore).
Daniela Should Hear This “NO MORE TAXES ” ! And Mr. Bermudez That 1/2 Cent Tax is The COKKIE Jar Use by All of You Supporting The Transportation CORRUPTION of Donor like TA & SFL ?
It concerns me that Ms Levine Cava’s profligate spending may have included DEFINED PENSIONS — pensions guaranteed no matter if pension funds collapse due to national catastrophe like The Great Recession and Coronavirus — for County Police.
This may have led Coral Gables Police to bolt to the County.
DEFINED PENSIONS ARE STRAIGHTUP CORRUPT IN MY OPINION.
Does anyone know the answer to this question?