Miami-Dade commissioners pass $10B budget and raise their pay

Miami-Dade County commissioners are increasing their compensation for the first time in nearly two decades as part of the $10 billion budget they approved early Wednesday.

Driving the news: Commissioners voted 7-5 to more than double their yearly compensation from $60,000 to $138,000, the Miami Herald reports.

• Their $6,000 base salary remains the same, but their overall compensation (including retirement contributions and fringe benefits like car stipends) will increase by roughly $79,000, the Herald reports.

Here's what else you should know about the new budget:

• Taxes: The county property tax rate was reduced by 1% but higher property values mean the average homeowner will still see a slight increase in their bill. (Owners of a $200,000 home could pay roughly $41 more than last year, per a county analysis.)
• Housing: The budget includes $85 million for housing assistance such as rent and mortgage relief, as well as rental subsidies for landlords leasing out "workforce housing" units, per a budget memo.
• Ambassador program fails: Commissioners voted against a proposal to pay ex-commissioners $25,000 a year to attend ribbon-cuttings and other public events, the Herald reported.

What they're saying: "This budget invests over $500 million to build new housing people can afford, create more pathways to homeownership, and provide immediate relief to struggling residents including renters and homeowners," Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement.