Miami-Dade Mayor Reveals Budget Plan
MIAMI (CBSMiami)- Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez announced a plan to trim $64 million in his budget Tuesday.
"We will not increase the burden on our residents through higher taxes," Gimenez said, "We will not govern from budget crisis to budget crisis."
His proposal includes altering the millage rate which would help give more funding to libraries but cut funding for police and other services.
The shift in the millage rates would mean $3.3 million less for the fire department, $10 million less for countywide services; including police and $12 million more for libraries.
About 700 jobs in all would be cut.
The police would lose 228 positions and funding would be cut along with other countywide services to the tune of about $10 million.
Mayor Gimenez said the same number of officers on the streets would be the same--this did not sit well with the Police Benevolent Association.
The president of the PBA, John Rivera said, "Well, we certainly support the libraries, we just hope kids on the way there don't get killed." He went on to say that the community will not be safe and that, "either they stand up or get bars on their windows, guard dogs and buy firearms."
Gimenez argues the streets will be safe and he would never jeopardize the public's safety.
"This is it the start of a long-term budget strategy that will help us avoid yearly budget crises and place us on solid financial footing for years to come," said Gimenez.
The proposal would also eliminate jail jobs, close a golf course, trim hours at ZooMiami, and raise Metrorail and Metrobus fares for the second year in a row. The boot camp for young offenders would also be cut.
The commission meets at the end of August and then again at the end of September to discuss the budget.
The budget will be adopted October 1st of this year.
Click here to view Cynthia Demos' report.
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