Miami-Dade Commission Advances Flat Millage Rate Amid Budget Debate

The Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners has taken the first of two votes to approve Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s proposed flat millage rate, which maintains the lowest combined tax rate since 1982 — despite unprecedented fiscal challenges.

“I’m grateful to the Board of County Commissioners for taking the first step to approve the flat millage rate, which will help us continue to protect our residents and preserve the services they rely on every day,” said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “Even in one of the most challenging budget years in recent history, we have balanced the budget and are safeguarding essential services — including public safety, transportation, clean water, waste collection, libraries, and more — all without raising taxes. We look forward to continuing to work with the Board as they approve the final budget in September.”

Over the past four years, the County has made significant investments to recover from the pandemic, build more affordable housing, support small businesses, and improve public safety — all while cutting the millage rate twice.

To close a historic gap in the FY 2025-26 budget while protecting core services, the administration implemented a series of cost-saving measures under the Mayor’s WISE305 initiative. According to Mayor Levine Cava, these steps are both tough and necessary to ensure every taxpayer dollar is spent effectively. Proposed measures include consolidating departments to eliminate duplication, reducing pay for top executives, investing in technology to improve efficiency, and optimizing county assets to generate revenue.

Still, not all officials support the proposed plan. Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis of District 6 issued a statement opposing Mayor Levine Cava’s proposal.

“Budgets reflect our values — and this one betrays the people it’s supposed to serve. This budget asks working families to pay more while getting less, and I refuse to support that,” Orbis said. “Charging families to park at public parks while cutting services, raising the gas tax, and defunding programs that support seniors, youth, and mental health is a step backward. We need to protect core services like police and fire, while also delivering the basics — cutting the grass, fixing potholes, and keeping our neighborhoods clean and safe. There’s a better way to govern: cut inefficiencies, not essentials, and treat our County employees with dignity — not fear. Our residents deserve a budget that reflects their values and protects their wallets.”

Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz also voiced strong concerns, requesting a larger budget for her department to meet growing public safety demands.

“Anything less is defunding the police,” Cordero-Stutz said. “I respectfully ask that you fund the budget as submitted.”

During a recent meeting, Cordero-Stutz urged county commissioners to reconsider, arguing that the current budget allocation would force a reduction in the number of sworn deputies and limit the department’s ability to respond to large-scale events — including the upcoming World Cup.

In response, Mayor Levine Cava said that both she and county leadership support law enforcement, but emphasized the fiscal reality the county now faces. She noted that the county has increased law enforcement funding by an average of 8 percent annually since she became mayor, but that the government is now tasked with closing a $402 million gap.

She said nearly half of that deficit is tied to the expansion of county government through the creation of new independent constitutional offices — such as the supervisor of elections and tax collector — established by a 2018 state constitutional amendment.

Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez remarked that the administration has had years to prepare for the financial implications of these offices. Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez added that despite the separation of powers, public safety remains paramount.

“I believe that even though there is a separation of the new constitutional offices, the sheriff is the most important — and safety comes first,” Bermudez said.

The Board of County Commissioners will vote again to finalize the millage and approve the final budget in September. The FY 2025-26 budget takes effect on October 1, 2025.

The total proposed Miami-Dade County budget is $12,933,763,000. Of that, the capital budget accounts for $4,461,501,000 — about 34 percent — while the operating budget is $8,472,262,000, or approximately 66 percent.