Transportation takes a hit in Miami-Dade's 2027 proposed budget
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Miami-Dade County's transit system is taking the biggest hit in next year's proposed budget, which Mayor Daniella Levine Cava presented on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The county is facing a nearly $100 million deficit for the 2027 fiscal year.
- The proposed budget comes at a time when families are "continuing to feel the pressure" of higher housing, groceries and everyday expenses, "Levine Cava said during a news conference.
Between the lines: The deficit is driven by factors including slowing revenue growth, inflation, "uncertain" support from the state and federal governments and the cost of providing health care, she said.
The big picture: The budget was built around 5 pillars: healthy and safe communities, an economy that "works for everyone," fiscal responsibility and efficiency, investments in infrastructure and risk reduction and resilience.
- "This presents a balanced, responsible, resident-focused financial plan for the next five years," Levine Cava said.
Zoom in: To reduce costs, 12 bus routes will be eliminated ("out of hundreds," officials noted). Six are county-operated, while six are contract-operated routes.
- Those routes are the early-morning (before 5:59am) and late-evening (after 10pm) services and those with low ridership, Levine Cava said.
Levine Cava isn't proposing an increase to the county's property tax rate, even as local governments face billions per year in lost revenue if voters approve proposed tax reforms in November.
- County departments have been told to hold spending growth to 3% — a "very conservative figure that requires cuts," Levine Cava said, without specifying what those cuts could be.
The intrigue: The proposal, which will need to be approved by county commissioners, doesn't include cuts to community-based organizations or the arts.
- Levine Cava initially included cuts to arts and charities in the 2026 budget proposal, but ultimately walked back the plan after it was met with swift pushback from residents and advocates.
Zoom out: County officials identified more than $42 million in efficiencies and $79 million in reductions that helped limit the severity of cuts.
- Officials have eliminated 400 vacant positions, slowed hiring and "improved overtime management," she said.
What's next: Residents will have two opportunities to speak up on the proposal — Sept. 3 and 17 — before commissioners vote.