Miami-Dade County is working hard to be the community people want and are willing to pay for. Recently, I proposed a budget that keeps property taxes nearly flat. To do so, every department will be making sacrifices and some very worthy programs and services will be scaled back and or eliminated. The proposed budget keeps basic, core services intact, including public safety.

In these tough economic times facing not just Miami-Dade County but the entire nation, we are all making sacrifices. In the County we will continue to tighten our belts and find efficiencies whenever possible. We must fill a $427 million gap this year. This will be the third year in a row we have faced budget shortfalls because of declining property tax revenues.

So many residents have let me know how they feel about the proposals, and we are taking a closer look at some of your recommendations to see how we might find further savings. Keep in mind, this is the beginning of the process, not the end. Our Board of County Commissioners will determine if my budget proposal is the right one for our residents, and changes are likely.

Public meetings to discuss the proposed budget are being held throughout the month. View the Public Meeting Schedule   or call    3-1-1 to find a location near you. Public hearings before the County Commission are scheduled for September 3rd and September 17th, at 5:01pm, at the Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW 1st Street. I will be working with the Commission to make sure the final budget reflects what they are hearing from our residents.

Sincerely,

Mayor Carlos Alvarez