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Week of July 20, 2000 |
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Governor's oversight board gives speedy OK to latest Miami budget By Candi CalkinsSatisfied that Miami's financial crisis has eased and new controls are in place, members of the Governor's Financial Oversight Board Tuesday started planning their exit with a speedy approval of the city's proposed $510 million budget for 2001. In the four fiscal years since 1997, oversight board members and city officials spent months negotiating tax rates, fees and reserve amounts. On Tuesday oversight members approved the proposed budget for 2001 at first presentation, commending what could become the lowest property tax rate for Miami in at least 50 years. Board chair Mar°a Camila Leiva commended the mayor and commissioners for setting aside political interests to reach an agreement, recalling last year's mayoral veto of the budget. "It's really showing some leadership and some teamwork," Ms. Leiva said. Budget plans call for city millage rates to dip slightly in 2001 to 10.275 points, down from the 10.78 points originally scheduled. One millage point equals $1 for every $1,000 of property valuation. A $61 residential fire fee paying for fire services would remain unchanged in 2001. The property tax cut offsets a significantly higher solid waste fee projected to rise from $234 last year to $325 in 2001. The average resident with a home valued at $100,000, officials say, would see a $72 overall increase in fees and taxes. Property taxes were cut to help offset higher fire fees on commercial properties. The fire fee would more than double next year from $58 to $124 for properties under 2,000 square feet. Officials said higher fees reflect the cost of delivering services such as garbage collection, fire and rescue. "The services have to be paid for," Ms. Leiva said. "I think they've done a phenomenal job," said Sheldon Schneider, an oversight board member. "My concern is that we not get too overjoyed over this. We must remain vigilant." Officials said that city expenditures are growing faster than revenues and that by 2004 the city will need to add revenues to avoid another financial crisis. A 1996 financial emergency led then-governor Lawton Chiles to create the oversight board to enforce fiscal restraints and help the city reduce mounting debts. Ms. Leiva said the board's mission will end after the 2001 audit is complete. The board is to meet next in November to discuss the city's five-year plan. The city projects a surplus of at least $6 million in 2001, adding to an $8 million surplus expected from the current fiscal year, said Bertha Henry, outgoing assistant city manager. Robert Nachlinger, new assistant city manager for finance and administration replacing Ms. Henry, who left the city for a job in Broward County, said he last worked for the Miami in 1996 when the city ended the year with a $21.8 million deficit. In contrast, Mr. Nachlinger said, the 1999 budget included $43 million in reserves. "The differences," he said, "are night and day." Mr. Nachlinger said that by 1996 the city had for several years spent more annually than it took in. Over four years, he said, the city's long-term debts were reduced from $589.9 million in 1996 to $482.9 million last fall. "The trend has been broken," he said. "The system is now fixed."
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