[CALL TO ORDER ] [00:00:06] WE'RE READY. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME BACK. I'D LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO OUR FINAL BUDGET HEARING, WHERE WE WILL ADOPT THE MILLAGE AND ADOPT THE BUDGET FOR SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2026. IT IS 501. I WANT TO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK OUR CITY MANAGER AND HIS AMAZING TEAM, OUR DCM, OUR ACM, ALL THE EMPLOYEES. THANK YOU FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY. OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR. THANK YOU FOR WORKING THE ENTIRE YEAR TO PUT TOGETHER THIS BUDGET. I KNOW IT HAS NOT BEEN EASY. IT'S NEVER EASY BECAUSE WE CAN ALWAYS USE MORE MONEY FOR ALL THE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND TO SERVE THIS COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE HERE. BUT I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU, AND I WANT TO REMIND ANYONE WE WILL BE TAKING COMMENTS AGAIN. YOU CAN EITHER BE HERE WITH US. YOU CAN EITHER DO IT VIA ZOOM, YOU CAN DO IT FACETIME, YOU CAN SEND US AN EMAIL, BUT WE APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND YOUR GUIDANCE IN REGARDS TO THE BUDGET. WE WILL BE ADDRESSING THE UNDERLYING UNDER ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH WILL BE THE ADOPT THE ORDINANCE. ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF ESTIMATED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES. AFTER WE'VE HAD THE PRESENTATION, THE PUBLIC HEARING, AND OBVIOUSLY THE ADOPTION OF THE MILLAGE RATE, WHICH IS NUMBER THREE. MADAM [1. 26-2141 Second Budget Hearing 2026-2027 Presentation.] FINANCE DIRECTOR, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU SIR. PAULA RODRIGUEZ, DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR FIRST OF ALL, AS THE MAYOR SAID, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM WHO PLAYS A PART IN DEVELOPING THE BUDGET. I WON'T BELABOR THE THANK YOUS, BUT I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THE PART YOU PLAY AND THE APPRECIATION WE HAVE FOR YOU. SO TODAY IS OUR FINAL BUDGET HEARING, OUR SECOND BUDGET HEARING. SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2026. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION QUICKLY. MOST OF THIS INFORMATION YOU HAVE SEEN ALSO PROVIDED IN THE AGENDA, AND THEN THE PACKETS, IS INFORMATION THAT OUTLINES SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT I WILL DISCUSS IN THE PRESENTATION. SO THAT WAS PART OF THE AGENDA PUBLISHED LAST WEEK. SO YOU'VE NOW SEEN THIS CALENDAR SEVERAL TIMES. ALL THE DATES ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN BECAUSE TODAY IS OUR LAST DAY. SEPTEMBER 29TH, 2026, SECOND BUDGET HEARING WHERE WE'LL BE ADOPTING THE MILLAGE, THE ANNUAL BUDGET AND THE CAPITAL PLAN. THIS SLIDE DEPICTS ANY CHANGES FROM OUR FIRST HEARING ON SEPTEMBER 15TH TO TODAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH. THE ONLY CHANGE, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE OF $110 MILLION, IS BRINGING IN THE DEBT, RECOGNIZING THE DEBT PROCEEDS FOR THE TWO BONDS THAT HAVE BEEN RECENTLY APPROVED. SO THE 40 MILLION FOR CITY HALL AND 70 MILLION FOR THE MOBILITY HUB. AND SO YOU CAN SEE HERE A CHANGE IN THE REVENUE OF THE 110 MILLION, BRINGING THE TOTAL REVISED REVENUE TO $433,309,230. AND THEN THE SIMILAR EXPENSES, THESE ARE KIND OF OUTLINED A LITTLE BIT MORE EXTENSIVELY, BUT ALSO BRINGING IN THAT SAME $110 MILLION IN EXPENSES. SO ALLOCATING 38 MILLION TO CITY HALL. THAT'S A COMBINATION OF BRINGING IN THE 40 MILLION OF DEBT AND MOVING $2 MILLION TO OUR DEBT SERVICE EXPENSE. SO YOU'LL SEE THAT IN A FURTHER LINE, BRINGING IN 70 MILLION INTO THE MOBILITY HUB PROJECT AND THEN TRANSFERRING FROM THE RESERVE AND PARKING TO CAPITAL DEBT. SO YOU'LL RECALL THAT THE PRIOR VERSION HAD A TRANSFER OF $4.2 MILLION FROM PARKING TO TO PARKING RESERVES. WE ARE NOW REDUCING THAT TO 3.2 MILLION GOING TO RESERVES AND 1 MILLION OF THAT GOING TO DEBT. AND THEN YOU SEE THE INCREASE TO DEBT SERVICE OF 3 MILLION. SO 2 MILLION FOR THE DEBT SERVICE. WE EXPECT OUR DEBT SERVICE EXPENSE NEXT YEAR FOR CITY HALL AND ABOUT 1 MILLION DEBT SERVICE EXPENSE FOR MOBILITY HUB NEXT YEAR, FOR A TOTAL OF $110 MILLION IN EXPENSES, FOR A TOTAL BUDGET OF 433,309,000 AND $230. THIS SLIDE IS A SIMILAR SLIDE THAT WE'VE PRESENTED EACH OF THE MEETINGS. AND SO THIS JUST BREAKS OUT THE OPERATING REVENUE OF $412 MILLION, 153,000 AND $108. THIS ALSO BREAKS OUT THE TRANSFERS FROM RESERVE. SO ANY RESERVES THAT WE ARE BRINGING IN TO, TO BALANCE THE BUDGET FROM SEVERAL FUNDS, MOST OF THESE FUNDS ARE RESTRICTIVE. SO YOU'LL SEE WE'RE BRINGING IN 5.4, JUST OVER JUST UNDER $5.5 MILLION [00:05:04] FROM CAPITAL FUND, FROM THE CAPITAL FUND RESERVE INTO THE BUDGET, $7.8 MILLION FROM THE GENERAL FUND RESERVE, $586,982 FROM ART AND PUBLIC PLACES RESERVE, 1.2, JUST OVER $1.2 MILLION IN IMPACT FEES THAT WE'RE BRINGING IN BUILDING RESERVE. WE'RE BRINGING IN 2.8 JUST OVER $2.8 MILLION. FIRE INSPECTIONS, 171,000 ACROSS COUNTRY CLUB PRESERVATION FEES $197,765. ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT FUND. WE'RE BRINGING IN 108,000 JUST OVER $108,000 FROM THE PARKING FUND. WE'RE BRINGING IN $664,290 FROM SANITARY SEWER FUND, 543 $960, AND FROM STORMWATER UTILITY, JUST OVER $1.5 MILLION FOR $21,156,122 FROM RESERVES, FOR A TOTAL REVENUE BUDGET OF $433,309,230. OUR EXPENDITURES. THIS IS A BREAKOUT SHOWING OUR OPERATING CAPITAL AND DEBT SERVICE EXPENDITURES. SO YOU SEE HERE THAT OPERATING EXPENDITURES IS $254,082,086. OUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BUDGET IS $162,456,774, AND THAT REFLECTS THE 110,000 THAT WE BROUGHT IN FOR CAPITAL AND DEBT SERVICE. $13,564,436. FOR A TOTAL OF $430,103,296 BEFORE TRANSFERS TO RESERVES, WHICH IS $5,934, THAT WE EXPECT TO TRANSFER TO THE CITY CLERK RESERVE AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 27, AND NOW $3.2 MILLION FROM THE PARKING FUND TO ITS RESERVE FOR FUTURE DEBT SERVICE THAT WAS REDUCED BY THE MILLION DOLLARS THAT WE'VE MOVED TO DEBT SERVICE EXPENSE IN FISCAL YEAR 25, FOR A TOTAL TRANSFERS TO RESERVES OF $3,205,934, AND A TOTAL EXPENDITURE OF $433,309,230. FOR A BALANCED FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET. THE NEXT SLIDE YOU ALSO SAW IN THE SEPTEMBER 15TH HEARING. THIS IS JUST A BREAKOUT OF THOSE SAME REVENUES, BUT BY CATEGORY. WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A GOOD DEPICTION TO SEE WHERE THE REVENUES COME FROM. AND SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, 146 MILLION, JUST OVER 146 MILLION ARE PROPERTY TAXES. OUR EXPENDITURES BY FUNCTION. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A BREAKOUT OF THE SAME EXPENDITURES WE'VE TALKED ABOUT. AND YOU CAN SEE THE BREAKOUT HERE. PUBLIC SAFETY JUST OVER 113 MILLION. PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT WHICH IS MOSTLY PUBLIC WORKS JUST OVER $61 MILLION. ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT JUST OVER $3.1 MILLION. GENERAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH INCLUDES MOST OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION DEPARTMENTS, $71.6 MILLION. TRANSPORTATION $100 MILLION. AND CULTURE AND RECREATION IS 80 JUST OVER $80.8 MILLION, FOR A TOTAL OF 430,103,296. AND THESE EXPENDITURES ARE NET OF TRANSFERS. SO THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER IS NOT THE FULL BUDGET. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEING FISCALLY PRUDENT THIS YEAR, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE HAVE MANY CHALLENGES FACING US IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. WE WE ARE VERY DECISIVE IN ONLY ADDING ONE POSITION. AND REALLY THAT POSITION IS BEING CONVERTED FROM TWO PART TIME POSITIONS, RESULTING IN A SAVINGS. THIS IS THE SAME CHART THAT YOU SAW IN THE LAST HEARING. THIS IS OUR CHANGE IN FULL TIME EMPLOYEE COUNT. SO 956 FROM 955. THESE ARE THE CAPITAL PROJECTS. AND SO ANYTHING HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN CHANGED FROM A PRIOR VERSION OF THIS BUDGET. AND SO THE CITY HALL PROJECT WAS INCREASED TO INCLUDE THE DEBT PROCEEDS. SO NOW IT'S $43,950,000 GOING TO THE CITY HALL COMPLEX NEXT YEAR. MOBILITY HUB WAS ADDED TO INCLUDE THE $70 MILLION IN DEBT PROCEEDS TO FUND THAT PROJECT, AND NO OTHER PROJECTS CHANGED IN THIS PRESENTATION. THERE MAY BE CHANGES IN OUR LATER ON IN [00:10:05] THIS MEETING, BUT FOR NOW, THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE PRESENTING FOR A TOTAL PROJECT COST OF $166,534,760. AGAIN, THIS IS A TABLE THAT WE SHOW EACH YEAR THAT SHOWS A COMPARISON OF WHERE OUR MILLAGE RATE COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE CITIES WITHIN THE COUNTY WHERE WE RANK. AND SO WE CONTINUE TO RANK 10TH COMPARED TO ALL OTHER CITIES. AND THEN THE BLUE COLUMNS ARE THE FULL SERVICE CITIES KEY BISCAYNE, HIALEAH, MIAMI BEACH AND MIAMI. AND WE REMAIN THE SECOND LOWEST COMPARED TO KEY BISCAYNE, WHICH IS THE FIRST. THIS CHART SHOWS, BASED ON OUR MILLAGE RATE, WHAT THE AVERAGE HOMESTEADED PROPERTY IN CORAL GABLES WOULD PAY IF THEY HAD. IF WE HAD THE SAME MILLAGE OF THE OTHER FULL SERVICE CITIES. SO THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES 5.559 MILLAGE IS A $6 MILLION SIX, I'M SORRY, $6,070 TAX AMOUNT TO AN AVERAGE HOMESTEADED VALUE OF JUST OVER 1 MILLION IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES. IN MIAMI, THAT SAME PROPERTY WOULD PAY JUST OVER $8,000, OR $1,968 MORE THAN THEY DO IN CITY OF CORAL GABLES, MIAMI BEACH. THAT PROPERTY WOULD PAY $6,633, JUST JUST $564 MORE THAN IN CORAL GABLES. HIALEAH IS 6.3, I'M SORRY, $6,881, $811 MORE THAN IN CORAL GABLES AND KEY BISCAYNE WOULD PAY $3,283 $2,787 LESS THAN IN CORAL GABLES. THESE SLIDES HAVE NOT CHANGED OUR CORAL GABLES PROPERTIES BY TYPE, SO YOU CAN SEE THAT HOMESTEADED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES REPRESENT JUST OVER 54% OF OUR TOTAL PROPERTIES. IN CORAL GABLES, NON HOMESTEAD IS JUST UNDER 32%. COMMERCIAL IS 8.7 AND ALL OTHERS IS 5.4. AND I HAVE TO NOTE THAT THIS IS THE PROPERTY TYPES. AS THE MIAMI-DADE PROPERTY APPRAISER CLASSIFIES THEM, PROPERTY TAX REVENUE BY PROPERTY TYPE. SO SIMILARLY, A HOMES HOMESTEADED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES GENERATE ABOUT $71.6 MILLION OF OUR TOTAL $146 MILLION PROPERTY TAXES, NON HOMESTEADED 37.5 MILLION. COMMERCIAL 25.5 MILLION AND ALL OTHERS 11.8 MILLION. THIS IS THE SAME INFORMATION BROKEN OUT IN A PIE CHART. SO YOU CAN SEE HERE THE INFORMATION IS THE SAME. HOMESTEADED HOMESTEADED ALL OTHERS AND COMMERCIAL INCLUDING THE PERCENTAGE THAT THEY REPRESENT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE IN THE CITY. THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE SHOWS A COMPARISON OR REFLECTS THE TOTAL TAXES PAID BY OUR RESIDENTS. SO WE TALK A LOT ABOUT OUR 5.559 MILLAGE AND WHAT THE RESIDENTS PAY THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES TAXES. THIS SHOWS WHAT OUR RESIDENTS PAY AS A TOTAL PROPERTY TAX. AND SO YOU SEE HERE THAT $0.31 PER DOLLAR OR 31% COMES TO THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, 30% GOES TO MIAMI DADE COUNTY, OR $0.30 PER DOLLAR, 37% OR $0.37 PER DOLLAR GOES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD. AND THE REGIONAL TAXES IS JUST UNDER TWO, JUST ABOUT $0.02 PER TAX DOLLAR. THIS IS THE ANNUAL PENSION CONTRIBUTION. THIS CHART REFLECTS EACH YEAR WHAT OUR REQUIRED PAYMENT HAS BEEN SINCE 2019. THE AMOUNT OF OUR EXTRA PAYMENT AND THE AMOUNT THAT WE'VE CONTRIBUTED TO OUR 401. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE 401 PLAN HAS GROWN EACH YEAR, WHICH IT STARTED JUST ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, AND IT'S CONTINUED TO GROW, BUT NOT SIGNIFICANTLY. THE CITY'S REQUIRED PAYMENT HAS FLUCTUATED A BIT, BUT IN REALITY, IT'S GONE SIGNIFICANTLY DOWN. AND WE KNOW THAT'S PRIMARILY DUE TO THE EXTRA PAYMENT THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKING EACH YEAR, WITH THE SLIGHT IMPACT THAT IT HAD TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE APPROVED THE RETIREE COLA. SAME INFORMATION, BUT THIS SHOWS THE FUNDING RATIO OF THE PENSION PLAN. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS YEAR WE ARE AT SEVEN. AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 25, WE WERE AT 76.2% FUNDED AND 23.8% FUNDED IN OUR PENSION PLAN. GENERAL [00:15:08] FUND RESERVE ANALYSIS. AND SO AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR 26, WE EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO FUND 64. THE THE DIFFERENCE TO GET TO THE $64 MILLION OF THE 25% RESERVE POLICY THAT THE CITY HAS. AS FAR AS PRESENTATION, THAT'S ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE. MOST OF THE INFORMATION IS WHAT YOU'VE SEEN OVER THE LAST TWO BUDGET WORKSHOPS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE CHANGE IN THE DEBT SERVICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. CLARK. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO, [2. 26-2142 Public Hearing for obtaining comments relative to Budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027.] PUBLIC HEARING. YES, MR. MAYOR. FIRST SPEAKER JACKSON HOLMES. SO WHAT IS IT? CUSTOMARY THREE MINUTES? YES, SIR. OKAY, SO I PROBABLY WON'T MAKE ANY FRIENDS TODAY, BUT. IF I DON'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY WHAT I'M GOING TO SAY HERE, THEN I. I'M REALLY NOT A COURAGEOUS PERSON. I SUPPORT AMENDMENT THREE. AND THAT, AS WE KNOW, IS A PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION AMENDMENT, STATEWIDE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. SO MY ANALYSIS OF IT. IS THAT IT'S ABOUT A 10% REDUCTION OF THE ENTIRE INCOME TO THE CITY OR TO THE COUNTIES. I BASE THAT ON MY GOOGLE SEARCHES, WHICH I'VE DONE 3 OR 4 TIMES, AND THEY ALWAYS COME BACK THE SAME. AND. I. THIS PRESENTATION, IT'S WEIRD BECAUSE AFTER ABOUT 2008 FOR FOR TEN YEARS, I ACTUALLY BELIEVED THIS THING ABOUT THE MILLAGE, WHICH IMPLIES THAT WE'RE LIKE THE THIRD LOWEST TAXES AMONG THE 35 MUNICIPALITIES. BUT ACTUALLY, THAT'S NOT REALLY TRUE. THE THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, WITH ITS HIGH PROPERTY VALUES, MAY BE CLOSER TO LIKE NUMBER THREE, HIGHEST PAYER OF TAXES BECAUSE WE DO HAVE HIGH. SO IT'S MISLEADING OR IT'S DISHONEST. AND ACTUALLY, AFTER I'VE ASKED FINANCE DIRECTOR, AFTER FINANCE DIRECTOR, AFTER ASSISTANT ASSISTANT, NOBODY TELLS THE TRUTH. AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I'M SUPPORTING AMENDMENT THREE. ANOTHER BASIC REASON THAT I FOUND BOTH WITH THE COUNTY AND WITH AND I'LL GET INTO THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY'RE MY BIGGEST VEXATION. IT'S. IT'S LIKE, WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE? IF THERE'S A ECONOMIC CATASTROPHE, THE GREAT RECESSION, COVID, WHO SKATES FREE AND CLEAR. BY AND LARGE, THE CITY AND THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES. SO WHAT? THEY'RE ABOVE THE ECONOMIC LAW. PEOPLE ARE DYING. PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING RIGHT NOW. THERE'S AN AFFORDABILITY CRISIS, BUT THE CITY EMPLOYEES OR THE COUNTY EMPLOYEES. I REMEMBER ONE OF THEM SAID IN THE COUNTY, GEEZ, YOU KNOW, THIS COVID THING MAY ACTUALLY AFFECT US AS COUNTY EMPLOYEES. LIKE THIS IS A BIG SURPRISE. THEY DON'T SUFFER. IT'S THE CAPTAIN DOESN'T GO DOWN WITH THE SHIP. FINALLY, I HAVE 30S. IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS, THERE IS A SOLUTION. VINCE LAGO AND I HAVE WORKED ON THE SOLUTION TO THE TO THE TRAFFIC PROBLEM. AND THAT IS BEING BLOCKED RIGHT NOW BY COUNTY MAYOR DANIELLA LEVINE CAVA, WHO REFUSES TO PROTECT TAXPAYERS FROM ANOTHER RAID OF THE PENNY SALES TAX. WE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. IT'S IT'S RAPID TRANSIT BUSSES. WE CAN SOLVE IT. BUT SHE SAYS, NO, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO STEAL THAT MONEY IN THE FUTURE. IF WE IF WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY, SHE WON'T PUT IT IN IRREVOCABLE TRUST. IS THAT AMAZING? THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SIR MARIA CRUZ. MISSUS MARIA CRUZ, 1447 MILLER ROAD (305) 323-2154. 50 YEARS AGO WHEN I MOVED TO WHEN WE BOUGHT OUR HOME IN CORAL GABLES, OUR GARBAGE WAS PART OF THE TAXES. TODAY WE PAY THE GARBAGE SEPARATE. AND BEFORE ANY OF YOU GOING, YOUR BANDWAGON AND SAY, [00:20:08] WELL, YEAH, BUT SHOULD WE SUBSIDIZE THE GARBAGE? NO, THE GARBAGE IS NOT SUBSIDIZED. WE PAY FOR THE GARBAGE FROM OUR TAXES. WE CHOOSE TO HAVE THE TYPE OF SERVICE THAT WE PAY. SO IT'S OUR MONEY. NOBODY ELSE IS BRINGING MONEY, NO FOUNDATION, NO OTHER CITY, NO PRIVATE ENTITY IS OUR MONEY THAT WE DECIDE HOW TO USE. IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT. WE DO NOT WANT. AND YOU IMPOSE, AS IN THE $300 A YEAR THAT WE ARE PUTTING ON THEIR THE RESILIENCY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER VERBIAGE IS USED FOR THE STORMWATER CHARGE THAT WE GET IN OUR WATER BILLS, $75 PER QUARTER, $300. SO ADD THAT UP TO WHAT WE'RE PAYING. IF YOU TAKE THE $300 PLUS THE GARBAGE, LOOK HOW MUCH MORE WE'RE PAYING THAN WHAT THE ACTUAL TAXES ARE BECAUSE WE'RE PAYING THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT TAXES, BUT WE PAY AND A FULL SERVICE CITY, WHEN I MOVED HERE INCLUDED WAY MORE THAN WHAT IS BEING DONE THIS MORNING, I SAW SOMETHING THAT A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, I BELIEVE HIS LAST NAME IS RODRIGUEZ. NO, GONZALEZ. YOU KNOW, RODRIGUEZ GONZALEZ THE SAME. AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW HE THOUGHT THAT THE BUDGET COULD BE LOWERED BY SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR A LONG TIME. FOR THIS CITY, OUR SIZE, WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE, WAY TOO MANY EMPLOYEES THAT MAKE BIG, BIG MONEY. AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT POLICE AND FIRE BECAUSE WE NEED THEM AND THEY NEED OVER TIME, WE NEED THEM. BUT WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THIS CITY THAT MAKE A LOT OF THEM OVER 150, ZERO ZERO $0, BECAUSE I'VE REQUESTED THAT INFORMATION AND WE HAVE EMPLOYEES IN THIS CITY THAT ARE DIRECTORS WITH NOBODY UNDER THEM THAT ARE SUPERVISORS, MAYBE WITH ONE PERSON UNDER THEM. THAT'S EXTRA MONEY THAT WE'RE SPENDING THAT WE COULD HAVE SAVED. LET'S SAY, MISTER MAYOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT. MOVING ON TO NUMBER [3. 26-2034 An Ordinance of the City Commission providing for the levy of taxes for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2027; fixing the rate of such levy; providing for the segregation and the application of the proceeds of such levy; providing for the separability of the provisions hereof; and providing that this ordinance shall become effective October 1, 2026.] THREE. LET'S RATIFY THE MILLAGE. MAYOR. I'LL READ THE ITEM INTO THE RECORD. SO THIS IS AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE LEVY OF TAXES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027. FIXING THE RATE OF SUCH LEVY, PROVIDING FOR THE SEGREGATION OF THE APPLICATION OF THE PROCEEDS OF SUCH LEVY, PROVIDING FOR THE SEPARABILITY OF THE PROVISIONS HEREOF AND PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES. SECTION ONE THAT, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AS NOW WRITTEN, TAXATION IS HEREBY LEVIED UPON ALL REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES FOR TAX YEAR 2026, A TAX OF 5.5590 MILLS, WHICH IS A 6.94% INCREASE OVER THE ROLLED BACK RATE OF 5.1982. ALL PROCEEDS OF THE COLLECTION OF THIS LEVY, TO BE RECORDED INTO THE GENERAL FUND OF THE CITY AND SHALL BE RESERVED THEREIN AND DISBURSED, TRANSFERRED THEREFROM FOR THE SOLE AND EXPRESS PURPOSE OF PAYING THE NECESSARY OPERATING AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURES OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, ITS DEPARTMENTS, OFFICES AND PROPERTIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027. I'LL MOVE THE ITEM, HAVE A SECOND, SECOND. MR. CLERK, WE HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO, MR. MAYOR, WE'VE ALREADY DONE. OKAY. ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER, MOVE TO CLOSE THE DEBATE. PERFECT. SECOND. LET'S GO. ALL IN FAVOR? OKAY. VICE MAYOR ANDERSON? YES, COMMISSIONER CASTRO. NO. COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ. YES. COMMISSIONER LATTA. YES. MAYOR. LARGO. YES. MR. CLARK, WHAT DID I SAY? YOU SAID YES, SIR, I MEANT NO. THIS ITEM REQUIRES A 4/5 VOTE. NO, MR. MAYOR. SIR. LOOK. I THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT WE'RE SEEING RIGHT NOW THROUGHOUT OUR STATE IS AFFORDABILITY. AND. WE'RE REALLY PASSING THE BUCK. IF WE'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR AMENDMENT THREE TO RECEIVE TAX RELIEF. I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEND THE [00:25:08] RESIDENTS OF CORAL GABLES A MESSAGE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE ABILITY TO PAY HIGH TAXES. NOT EVERYBODY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE AN ANNUAL INCREASE OF THE MILLAGE RATE EVERY YEAR. AND AFTER THE LAST ELECTION, I WENT ON RECORD AND I TOLD RESIDENTS I HAD HEARD THE MESSAGE THEY HAD SENT, AND THAT MESSAGE WAS THAT THEY WANTED LOWER TAXES. I'M NOT WILLING TO KEEP THE MILLAGE RATE AGAIN THIS YEAR. I THINK IT'S TIME TO MAKE A AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE RATE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A MAJOR REDUCTION. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T NEED TO GO ROLLBACK RATE. BUT I THINK COMMISSIONER CASTRO MADE A PROPOSAL LAST COMMISSION MEETING, WHICH MADE SENSE. AND I HEARD FROM RESIDENTS OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS ABOUT THEIR THEIR TAXES AND ABOUT THEIR INTEREST IN HAVING SOME SORT OF REDUCTION. AND I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE NEW COMMITMENTS WITH THE UNDERLYING AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ON THE TABLE. I'D BE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION TO. I THINK THE THE PROPOSED MILLAGE BY COMMISSIONER CASTRO WAS 5.39 LAST COMMISSION MEETING. I'D BE WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION AT 5.39 WITH AN INCREASE OF WHATEVER WE'RE COMMITTING TO THE UNDERLYING, WHICH WASN'T REALLY ON THE TABLE LAST TIME, SO I'M NOT SURE. PAUL, IF YOU COULD GET ME THAT NUMBER, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO SHOW RESIDENTS IN THIS CITY THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE HARDSHIPS THAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO RAISE TAXES YEAR OVER YEAR AT THE RATE THAT WE'VE BEEN INCREASING THEM. AND I'M AS GUILTY AS ANYBODY FOR FOR DOING THAT, BECAUSE I'VE ALSO VOTED THREE TIMES TO KEEP THE MILITARY. BUT IT'S TIME TO GO IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND REALLY LISTEN TO THE MESSAGE THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN SENDING. YOU KNOW, WE WE PASSED THE SENIOR RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM THREE YEARS AGO, AND I RECEIVED SEVERAL CALLS FROM PEOPLE THANKING ME FOR DOING THAT. BUT I ALSO RECEIVED CALLS FROM PEOPLE WHO WERE OUTSIDE OF THE PARAMETERS OF THAT, WHO COULD HAVE USED THE HELP. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, BASED ON THE PARAMETERS THAT THE COUNTY HAD SET FOR, THAT WASN'T ANYTHING WE COULD DO. THERE ARE PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO ARE REALLY STRUGGLING TO PAY BILLS. IT STRUCK ME THIS WEEK WHEN I OPENED MY FRIDGE TO PUT IN GROUND BEEF THAT I JUST BOUGHT FROM PUBLIX, AND I SAW GROUND BEEF THAT WE HAD BOUGHT LAST MONTH. AND THE THE PRICE OF GROUND BEEF, THE SAME EXACT BRAND PUBLIX BRAND, THE SAME EXACT PERCENTAGE THAT THEY THAT THEY HAVE WAS TWICE AS EXPENSIVE. IT HAD GONE UP FROM 6.91 TO 1212 FOR 1 POUND OF GROUND BEEF. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN MAKE AN EFFORT. WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE'S LIVES, PERHAPS NOT A MAJOR DIFFERENCE, BUT WE CAN TAKE PART OF THAT BURDEN AWAY FROM THEM WHILE STILL ACCOMPLISHING THE THINGS THAT WE WISH TO ACCOMPLISH. I THINK COMMISSIONER CASTRO'S PROPOSAL WASN'T REMOVING EVERYTHING FROM THE EXTRA PAYMENT THAT WE WERE MAKING. WE WOULD STILL CONTINUE TO MAKE AN EXTRA PAYMENT. WE WOULD JUST REDUCE THE AMOUNT THAT WE WERE MAKING EXTRA PAYMENT AND PASS THAT SAVINGS TO THE RESIDENTS. YOU KNOW, MONEY IS BETTER IN THE POCKETS OF OUR RESIDENTS THAN IT IS IN THE CITY'S COFFERS. THAT'S A REALITY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE RESIDENTS HAVE TOLD US TIME AND AGAIN. AND FOR ME, LAST ELECTION WAS AN EYE OPENER BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WAS A MESSAGE THAT PEOPLE SENT THEIR CANDIDATES THAT RAN THIS, THAT ELECTION ON LOWERING TAXES, AND RESIDENTS VOTED, AND THEY DECIDED THAT THAT WAS THE DIRECTION THEY WANTED TO GO IN. SO I THINK WE CAN MAKE THAT DIFFERENCE TODAY WITHOUT MAJORLY AFFECTING OUR BUDGET, WITHOUT MAJORLY AFFECTING OUR ABILITY TO FUNCTION AS A CITY AND SHOW THE RESIDENTS THAT YOU DON'T NEED TO BE THE ONES THAT CARRY THE BURDEN OF CHANGING THE TAXES IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, OR IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, YOU HAVE A COMMISSION THAT UNDERSTANDS THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH FINANCIAL BURDENS THAT ARE HIGHER, JUST LIKE THE CITY IS, AND WE'RE WILLING TO MAKE A SMALL DIFFERENCE BY NOT INCREASING THE MILITARY, KEEPING THE MILLAGE RATE AND INCREASING YOUR TAXES AS MUCH AS WE WOULD HAVE. THE MAYOR. GIVE ME ONE SECOND. SO LET'S [00:30:01] TALK ABOUT A FEW THINGS. SO WHAT YOU HAVE HERE NOW IS A STALEMATE. YOU NEED FOUR VOTES TO APPROVE THE MILITARY. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER SOME SIMPLE FACTS HERE. WHEN WE VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE GRANTS THAT YOU PROPOSED, WE SAID THAT WE WOULD NOT TOUCH THE MILLAGE RATE. AND YOU SAID, YES, THAT WAS CLEAR AS DAY AND IT'S ON THE RECORD. SO YOU'RE GOING BACK ON THAT YOU GAVE YOUR WORD THAT YOU WOULDN'T TOUCH THE MILLAGE RATE IF WE APPROVE THE GRANTS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE SAID ON THE RECORD. MR. MR. CLARK, IS THAT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED? YES OR NO? I WANT TO BE CLEAR. THE APPROVAL OF THE TWO GRANTS, THE SENIOR RELIEF GRANT FUND AND THE VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES GRANT FUND WERE CONTINGENT ON THE MILLAGE RATE REMAINING THE SAME. SO IF THE MILLAGE RATE CHANGES AND THOSE GRANTS WOULDN'T BE IN PLACE, THAT'S ON THE RECORD. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. OKAY, SO NOW WE'RE GOING BACK ON THE RECORD HERE. NUMBER TWO, I WANT TO REMEMBER FOR ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE WATCHING, A $20 MILLION COLA WAS GRANTED THAT COST THE CITY $2 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE NEXT. I THINK IT'S EIGHT MORE YEARS, MISTER MANAGER. SO EIGHT MORE YEARS. YES, MA'AM. EIGHT MORE YEARS. WHERE DO WE GET THE MONEY? WE TOOK THE MONEY FROM THE OVERFUNDING OF THE PENSIONS WHICH WENT FROM. WE WOULD HAVE IT PAID OFF IN FOUR YEARS. SO WE WOULD HAVE IT PAID OFF IN SIX YEARS. NOW THEY WANT TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN A LITTLE BIT. SO WE'RE SLOWLY CHIPPING AWAY AT OUR EFFECTIVENESS TO PAY DOWN THE UNFUNDED LIABILITIES. LEAVE FOR THE CITY PAID OFF IN 4 TO 5 YEARS. IF EVERYTHING CONTINUES, WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO JUST TAKE MONEY FROM OUR EXTRA PAYMENT BECAUSE THEN IT BECOMES LESS AND LESS EFFECTIVE AND YOU'RE ONLY HURTING THE EMPLOYEES. THIS YEAR, OUR HEALTHCARE WENT UP 25%. PAULA, HOW MUCH DOES THAT REPRESENT OF AN INCREASE? JUST ABOUT $1 MILLION. IT WAS WE USED THE SAVINGS FROM THE PROPERTY INSURANCE AND WE HAD TO FUND THE DIFFERENCE. SO WE FUNDED THE DIFFERENCE. SO WE $1 MILLION. NOW WE HAVE THE UNDERLYING THAT WANTS $1 MILLION. AND WE'RE ALSO FACING AMENDMENT THREE. IF IT PASSES, THAT WILL BE POTENTIALLY $12 MILLION A YEAR TO THE CITY. THE COMMISSIONER AND I WORKED ON A REASONABLE OPTION TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE RECEIVED MONEY, NOT WHAT THEY HIT ME OVER THE HEAD THREE YEARS AGO WHEN I WANTED TO LOWER THE MILLAGE RATE, WHEN WE HAD ALMOST 11% INCREASE IN PROPERTY VALUES, DOUBLE OF WHAT WE HAVE THIS YEAR ALMOST, THEY SAID, WHY DON'T WE LOWER THE GARBAGE FEE THAT WAY? IT'S HELPING THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST. SO WE LOWERED THE GARBAGE FEE TO $550 PER HOUSEHOLD, WHICH DOESN'T HELP THE WEALTHY IN OUR COMMUNITY. IT HELPS OUT THE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT NEED IT THE MOST. THAT WAS A REASONABLE, HONEST REQUEST. THE CITY IS SUBSIDIZING GARBAGE TO THE TUNE OF $9.2 MILLION. $9.2 MILLION. THE BILL SHOULD BE, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, $1,410, $1,403, $403. WE ARE SUBSIDIZING GARBAGE TO THE TUNE OF $9 MILLION. WE ARE ALREADY RUNNING TIGHT. WE'RE IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO FIND MONIES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE UNDERLYING. NOW WE'RE GOING TO CUT THIS CUT IN THE MILLAGE RATE THAT IS BEING THOUGHT ABOUT. WHAT WOULD IT SAVE A HOMEOWNER RIGHT NOW? WHAT WOULD BE THE SAVINGS? BE ON AVERAGE AROUND 100. I MEAN, I'M ASKING I'M ASKING I'M ASKING THE DIRECTOR, BUT I'M ASKING THE DIRECTOR. JUST GIVE ME ONE SECOND. I'M ASKING THE DIRECTOR, PLEASE. SO BASED ON THE AVERAGE HOMESTEADED PROPERTY VALUE OF $1,091,863. THAT REDUCTION WOULD REPRESENT 5000. ME ONE SECOND. $5,926. SO WHAT WOULD THAT REPRESENT? PER [00:35:05] HOUSEHOLD $5,926. HOW MUCH IS THE SAVINGS? I'M SORRY. NO, NO. IT'S OKAY. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. NO BIG DEAL. IT'S NOT A PROBLEM. SORRY. YES. NO. YES. YES. SORRY. GIVE ME ONE SECOND. YES, YES. $143. SO THAT IS THE PROPOSAL THAT COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ IS STATING, NOT THE ESTIMATE THAT COMMISSIONER CASTRO PROVIDED. SO LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO BE GIVING ALL THIS MONEY BACK OUR GARBAGE FEES. LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS, PAULA. OKAY. OUR GARBAGE FEES THIS YEAR WENT UP. HOW MUCH? 6%. 5% WAS THE NUMBER. I'M SORRY, THE GARBAGE, THE ACTUAL COST OF GARBAGE DISPOSAL WENT UP BY THE FULL 5% AND 4% ALLOWABLE BETWEEN WASTE MANAGEMENT AND THE COUNTY. HOW MUCH DID OUR WATER GO UP THIS YEAR? OUR WATER WENT UP BY A $1.3 MILLION TRUE UP. THAT'S BEING DIVIDED OVER TWO YEARS AND ABOUT 6% OVER 6% INCREASE TO THE RATES. YEAH. SO I'M TELLING YOU, AND WE'RE ABSORBING A LOT OF THESE COSTS. OKAY. BUT WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS THAT WHEN YOU TOLD ME AND YOU GAVE ME YOUR WORD ON THE DAIS AND YOU SAID, WE'RE NOT GOING TO, WE'RE GOING TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THESE GRANTS. AND YOU SAID, IF YOU VOTE IN FAVOR OF THESE GRANTS, I'LL SUPPORT STAYING STAYING IN LINE FOR THE MILLAGE RATE. I SAID, NO PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE FACING AMENDMENT THREE, WHICH IS FORTHCOMING IN A MONTH. SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO CUT EVEN MORE AND WE NEED FOUR VOTES ON ON THE MILLAGE. I CAN'T IT'S NOT AN ISSUE ABOUT CUTTING. I'M ALL IN FAVOR OF IT. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IF YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU WERE AGAINST A MILLAGE RATE CUT WHEN PROPERTY VALUES WENT UP 11% AND WE WEREN'T FACING AMENDMENT THREE, I SUPPORTED YOU ON THE GRANTS BACK THEN. I DON'T HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT. LET'S BE REASONABLE. LET'S NOT PUT MORE STRESS. WE'RE DOING CITY HALL, WE'RE DOING THE MOBILITY HUB. WE'RE DOING THE GONDOLA BUILDING, WE'RE DOING THE WATER TOWER. WE'RE DOING ALL OF PONCE. WE'RE DOING ALL THE RELANDSCAPING OF PONDS. WE WE'VE HAVE FULL POLICE. WE HAVE FULL FIRE. WE HAVE I MEAN, WE HAVE INVESTED IN THE CITY. EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS IN THE FACE OF AMENDMENT THREE. SO I'M ASKING LET'S LET COOLER HEADS PREVAIL. LET'S BE REASONABLE. AND NO ONE'S GOING TO PASS JUDGMENT. AFTER WE PROVIDED ALL THESE PROJECTS THAT FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS, PHILLIPS PARK WERE KICKED DOWN THE CURB. PHILLIPS PARK ALONE IS AN ADDITIONAL $900,000 TO BE ABLE TO FINISH THE PARK. BECAUSE WE FOUND STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES IN THE BATHROOMS, THAT WE COULDN'T LEAVE IT THAT WAY. I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT WAS 900,000, RIGHT? YES, MAYOR. AND ALSO THE GAZEBO. GAZEBO. SO WHEN I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES IS, LET'S BE REASONABLE. YOU KNOW, WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GIVE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST, THE, THE, THE GRANTS WE GAVE THE GRANTS. AND IT WAS CONTINGENT ON NOT MOVING THE MILLAGE BECAUSE WE AGREED UPON HERE IN THIS COMMISSION THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES, MADAM VICE MAYOR, THE SAVINGS FOR RESIDENTS THAT WERE VOTED IN FOR THE REDUCTION OF THE GARBAGE FEES IS $853 FOR EVERY SINGLE HOUSEHOLD. THAT BUYS A LOT OF GROUND MEAT. OKAY? IT BUYS A LOT OF FOOD. MADAM DIRECTOR PAULA, FOR THE A HOME WHOSE TAXABLE VALUE IS $1 MILLION. THE REDUCTION IN TAXES WOULD BE. HOW MUCH? THE MAYOR? YES, SIR. VICE MAYOR. THAT'S ALSO A $4 MILLION REDUCTION IN COST FOR FOR GARBAGE THIS YEAR, WHICH HAS TO COME FROM THE GENERAL FUND. I UNDERSTAND, I UNDERSTAND THE MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CAP CUT CAPITAL PROJECTS. ONE OF THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT WAS CUT ALSO IS FUNDING. THE UNDERLYING THE FUNDING FOR THE UNDERLYING IS NOT GOING TO BE THERE. ALL FOR POLITICS. NOW, WHEN I RAN FOR OFFICE, I SPOKE ABOUT INCREASING HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION AS HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION IS THE BEST WAY TO HELP OUT THOSE WHO NEED IT THE MOST. INCREASING HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION HELPS EVERYBODY. I ALSO HAD A RESOLUTION THAT THIS COMMISSION PROPOSED THAT WAS NOT CARRIED BY THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO PROVIDE COMPLETE EXEMPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CARETAKERS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES WHO FALL BELOW A CERTAIN INCOME LEVEL. THESE ARE THE TYPES OF EXEMPTIONS THAT WE CAN DO. NOW, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A CONSTRUCTIVE [00:40:05] CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO HELP OUT THOSE WHO NEEDED THE HELP THE MOST, AS OPPOSED TO HELPING THE RICH THE MOST. BECAUSE THE LOWER END HOMES, JUST BECAUSE OF THE DIRT VALUE OR VALUED ABOUT $1 MILLION TAXED AT LESS FOR THE ACTUAL TAXES WOULD BE LESS. THIS IS JUST A HYPOTHETICAL EXAMPLE, BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR HOMES. AND SO THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO REAP THE MOST BENEFIT FROM A MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION, NOT THOSE WHO WHO NEED THE HELP THE MOST. WE ALSO HAVE WE ALSO HAVE NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR SEPTIC TO SEWER. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE PAYING MORE MONEY FOR THAT AS WELL. WE NEED TO BE LOOKING AT GRANT PROGRAMS AND OTHER WAYS TO HELP OUT FOLKS. STRIPPING YOURSELF OF THE ABILITY TO HELP THOSE WHO HELP THE MOST IS NOT HELPING THEM AT ALL. IN FACT, PUTTING THEM AT JEOPARDY AND LEAVING OUR CITY UNABLE TO HELP PEOPLE IN NEED. THIS IS THESE ARE VERY EXPENSIVE PROJECTS. WE HAVE PEOPLE SEPTIC TANKS FAILING AT THIS TIME, AND THEY NEED ALTERNATIVES. OTHER THAN THE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE OSD SYSTEMS. OR TO CONTINUE POLLUTING POLLUTING THE BAY. WE HAVE THE WATER QUALITY TESTS THAT WERE DONE BY FIU. ONCE YOU GET PAST RED ROAD AND PAST THE GRANADA GOLF COURSE, YOU SEE THE HUMAN FECAL COUNT ESCALATE DRAMATICALLY IN THE WATERWAY. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO IGNORE FACTS AND IGNORE THESE THINGS. WE NEED TO HELP OUT THE RESIDENTS THAT NEED HELP THE MOST AND HAVE A CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATION. SO I'M SURE, I'M SURE YOU'RE AWARE OF THE ROLLBACK RATE ISSUE. IF YOU WANT TO PLAY THE LONG GAME, WE CAN PLAY THE LONG GAME. BUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT IN A WAY OF TAX RELIEF OR TO HELP THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING, THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WANT THE HELP. THEY DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AT GOING INTO THE POCKETS OF THOSE WHO HAVE THE MEGA YACHTS BEHIND THEIR HOMES AND CAN WELL AFFORD TO PAY THE TAXES FOR THE MAYOR. YES. NUMBER ONE, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, FROM ACTUALLY SEEING MY VISION AND MY PERSPECTIVE WHEN I TRY TO GOVERN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES. NOW, IF YOU WENT AHEAD AND DID THAT MOTION, I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SECOND THAT. BUT BESIDES THAT, I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND OFFER A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WHICH WILL NOT DECIDE IF I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND SUPPORT OR NOT. IT'S REALLY GOING TO BE UP TO YOU. I KNOW THAT LAST COMMISSION MEETING, YOU HAD A VERY IMPORTANT THING THAT WAS CLOSE TO YOUR HEART, WHICH WAS VETERANS WITH DISABILITY AND THE SENIOR GRANT. AND IT WAS CONTINGENT THAT THE MILITARY STAYED THE SAME. SO SO MY PROPOSAL TO YOU OR MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT TO YOU IS, LET'S GO AHEAD AND LOWER THE MILLAGE RATE OR LET'S NEGOTIATE. AND I ALSO WANT TO GO AHEAD AND INCLUDE IN THERE THE SENIOR GRANT AND THE VETERANS WITH DISABILITY ONE AS WELL. I'LL AMEND MY MOTION. CAN I GIVE A POINT OF CLARIFICATION? THE SENIOR GRANT AND THE VETERANS GRANT WAS NOT GOING TO BE FUNDED IN NEXT FISCAL YEAR. IT WOULD BE FUNDED IN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. SO IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE DICTATED, BUT THE MILLAGE. BUT JUST TO BE CLEAR ON WHERE THE FUNDING WAS COMING FROM. AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, TOO, IS THAT I WANT THE FUNDING FOR THE UNDERLYING TO BE IN THIS AMENDMENT AS WELL. MY FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. TO THE MAYOR. YES, SIR. IF THIS AMENDMENT PASSES, THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WE'LL HAVE A A REDUCTION OF $5.7 MILLION FROM THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION. IN ADDITION TO THAT, THERE'S ALSO THE OTHER PART THAT WE FORGET, WHICH IS A MAXIMUM OF 5% FOR OTHER FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE NOT HOMESTEAD EXEMPTED, WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S AN ADDITIONAL $2 MILLION OR A TOTAL OF $7.7 MILLION, WHICH WHICH, WHICH OVER TWO YEARS WILL BE $15.4 MILLION. IT'S QUITE IT IS. AND IF WE LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR, HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES PAY 3%. THE FACT THAT NO NON HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES PAID 8.2% GAVE US 5.3% MILLAGE PLUS NEW PROPERTIES. THAT WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN BECAUSE THE 8.2 IS LIMITED TO FIVE, WHICH WILL BE 4% FROM NOW ON, AN AVERAGE OF OUR OUR HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 48.9% OF OUR REVENUE, LET'S SAY 50%, WHICH [00:45:06] MEANS THAT THREE AND FIVE IS THE AVERAGE IS FOUR. SO OUR MILITARY WILL BE FOUR PLUS WHATEVER NEW PROPERTIES COME INTO, COME INTO THE MILLAGE AT THAT TIME. SO WE WILL NEVER HAVE 6.5 AGAIN. WE WILL NEVER HAVE SEVEN AGAIN. THAT THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN. SO REDUCING THE MILLAGE RATE RIGHT NOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DO NOT RECOMMEND, BUT WE ARE IN A STATE OF FLUX. AND TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA. MR. MANAGER. I'M HAPPY YOU PUT THAT ON THE RECORD BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT. AND EVERY TIME THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY AND YOU TELL THEM IT'S $100 SAVINGS, WHEN WE'RE GIVING YOU $1,000 SAVINGS IN YOUR GARBAGE. THEY SAID, PLEASE DON'T DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD AFFECT OUR SERVICES OR TAKE AWAY FROM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS WE ALREADY TOOK. WE ALREADY TOOK EVEN THOUGH I VOTED AGAINST IT, WE TOOK $2 MILLION ALREADY, ALREADY A YEAR. FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS, IT WAS TEN AWAY FROM THE OVERFUNDING OF THE PENSIONS THAT TOOK OUR SUPPOSED PENSION PAY DOWN FROM FOUR YEARS PAY OFF TO SIX YEARS. HOW MUCH WOULD THIS TOTAL BE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE FROM THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY PAYMENT THAT WE MAKE THE ADDITIONAL ONE? SO, IF I MAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL CLEAR ON THE VILLAGES AND HOW MUCH AND ALL OF THAT. RIGHT. SO THE PROPOSED MILLAGE RECOMMENDED BY STAFF IS 5.559. THE PROPOSAL. SO THAT MILLAGE HAS TO BE ADOPTED BY FOUR. ANY ANYTHING BETWEEN ROLLBACK AND THE CURRENT MILLAGE HAS TO BE ADOPTED BY FOUR. THE ONLY MILLAGE THAT CAN BE ADOPTED BY THREE VOTES IS THE ROLLBACK MILLAGE, WHICH IS 5.1982, WHICH IS A REDUCTION OF NINE OVER $9.5 MILLION TO OUR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. SO IF ONLY THREE CAN AGREE, WE WILL REDUCE THE BUDGET BY $9.5 MILLION. THE PROPOSAL THAT COMMISSIONER CASTRO MADE LAST MEETING WAS A REDUCTION OF $4,451,157. THE PROPOSAL THAT. I JUST GIVE IT A SECOND. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE RESIDENTS CAN HEAR. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND. AFTER ALL THE HARD WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST 13 OR 14 YEARS, HOW THIS WILL NOW DELAY EVEN FURTHER, PAYING OFF THE PENSION DEBT. OR WE CAN JUST CUT MORE CAPITAL PROJECTS, CUT MORE PROJECTS. OKAY. IT SEEMS LIKE. OKAY. TRY NOW THE MILLAGE THAT COMMISSIONER CASTRO PROPOSED WAS 5.39. IT WOULD BE A $4.4 MILLION REDUCTION. I'M ROUNDING BECAUSE I STATED THE NUMBER A MOMENT AGO. IF WE WANTED TO REDUCE THE MILLAGE BY $1 MILLION, LESS IMPACT IN ORDER TO. THAT MILLAGE WOULD BE 5.428, AND THAT WOULD BE A REDUCTION TO REVENUE OF 3,451,000 AND $157. AS I MENTIONED, I DID NOT CONTEMPLATE THE SENIOR OR VETERANS GRANT BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT PLANNED ON BEING FUNDED WITH NEXT YEAR'S MONEY. THAT WOULD BE IN THE CURRENT YEAR'S BUDGET, WHICH ENDS TOMORROW. SO AGAIN, THAT WOULD THAT WOULD BE A $3.4 MILLION IMPACT TO THE EXTRA PAYMENT, WHICH IS WHAT WAS PROPOSED, THAT THAT WOULD REDUCE 3.17, 3.4 3,451,000. SO BASICALLY 3.57 OKAY. AND IF YOU ADD THE 2 MILLION THAT WE ALREADY CUT. SO WE'RE CUTTING $5.5 MILLION FROM, WHICH IS ALMOST IT'S MORE THAN HALF. IT'S MORE THAN HALF THAN WE'RE PUTTING IN. SO THAT SO WE WENT FROM PAYING IT OFF IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS TO NOW PAYING IT OFF IN SIX YEARS. SO THIS WILL OBVIOUSLY PUT US TEN YEARS PLUS OUT. SO FOR PERSPECTIVE, WE WENT IN 2025, WE FUNDED $9.5 MILLION. IN 2026, WE FUNDED 7.2. WE WERE PLANNING ON FUNDING 8.6. SO THAT WOULD BRING IT DOWN TO 5.2 ISH. SO WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY CLEAR. OKAY, [00:50:04] COMMISSIONER, YOU GAVE US YOUR WORD AT THE LAST VOTE IN REGARDS TO THESE TWO GRANTS THAT WE WILL NOT LOWER THE MILITARY. THAT WAS I SUPPORTED IT, THAT I WOULD VOTE IN FAVOR OF IT. I WANT IT TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN THE MILLAGE RATE, BECAUSE WE WERE DEALING WITH MULTIPLE ISSUES LIKE THE UNDERLYING WE'RE DEALING WITH ISSUES LIKE AMENDMENT THREE. AND AGAIN, A LITANY OF OTHER ISSUES THAT I'VE EXPLAINED HERE. WE'RE KEEPING THE GARBAGE GARBAGE AT 550. WE'RE ACTUALLY HAVING AN INCREASE FROM THE COUNTY. SO IF THIS GOES RIGHT NOW, WE'RE BASICALLY PLAYING CHICKEN WITH THE ECONOMICS OF THE CITY. WE CONTINUE MOVING IN A PATH THAT WE ALREADY HAD THE SECOND LOWEST MILLAGE RATE FOR A FULL SERVICE CITY IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. WE'RE NEVER GOING TO GET NEAR KEY BISCAYNE, WHO'S NUMBER ONE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PENSION OBLIGATIONS. THEIR PENSION IS FRS. WHEN YOU ASK RESIDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY, THEY SAY, DO NOT MAKE DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT MY SERVICES. WHEN I RECOMMENDED LOWERING TAXES, I RECOMMENDED LOWERING TAXES. WHEN WE HAD DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH IN OUR CITY, NOT SINGLE DIGIT. WE HAD ALMOST DOUBLE WHAT THIS YEAR WAS, HE SAID NO. AT THAT POINT I HAD TO ACCEPT IT. NOW WE'RE FACING AMENDMENT THREE. WE'RE FACING SINGLE DIGIT GROWTH. WE'RE FACING THE UNDERLYING THE UNDERLYING APPROVAL. TODAY. WE'RE FACING A 25% INCREASE IN OUR HEALTHCARE. AND THE GARBAGE FEE STAYS AT 550. AND BY THE WAY, WHEN I CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, WHEN I REQUESTED FOR THAT REDUCTION IN THE MILLAGE RATE, WHEN WE HAD 11, ALMOST 11% GROWTH, IT WAS LIKE 10.5 OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. YOU HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER. WE HADN'T EVEN APPROVED THE COLA YET. MY UNDERSTANDING. RIGHT? WE HADN'T EVEN HAVE A COLA ON THE BOOKS OF $2 MILLION A YEAR, BUT WE HAD MONEY TO SPEND TO REDUCE AND IT WOULDN'T AFFECT THE CITY. INSTEAD, WE WENT IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND WE LOWERED GARBAGE. I'M ASKING YOU, PLEASE, AS YOU AND YOUR TENURE HERE IN THE CITY DO NOT PUT THE CITY IN A POSITION WHEN WE FACE AMENDMENT THREE NEXT MONTH. THAT COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. OKAY? BECAUSE THIS YEAR WE FUNDED AGAIN. AGAIN, WE FUNDED THE GONDOLA BUILDING. WE FUNDED THE WATER TOWER, WE FUNDED CITY HALL, WE FUNDED THE MOBILITY HUB. WE FUNDED ALL OF PONCE ALL THE WAY TO EIGHTH STREET. HOW MANY PARKS HAVE WE FUNDED THAT HAVE GOTTEN DONE? THOSE THAT ARE FORTHCOMING, PHILLIPS PARK, TO THE TUNE OF WHAT I THINK WAS LIKE NINE, ALMOST $10 MILLION. WE HAVE INVESTED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THIS COMMUNITY, AND NOW IS THE TIME TO BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL. THE EMPLOYEES DESERVE TO HAVE A PENSION THAT IS SECURE, AND I'VE BEEN DOING IT FOR 13 YEARS, AND I'M ASKING YOU TO PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DISCUSSION. YOU GAVE US YOUR WORD ABOUT THE GRANTS, AND I TOOK YOU AT YOUR WORD THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES, SIR. OUR OUR PENSION PLAN, WE WERE PROPOSING $8.65 MILLION EXTRA EXTRA PAYMENT. OUR PAYMENT IS $33.6 MILLION FOR THE PENSION PLAN THIS YEAR. IF WE WERE FULLY FUNDED, THAT WOULD GO DOWN TO 6.5 MILLION. IT MEANS THAT WE WOULD HAVE $27.1 MILLION ADDITIONAL REVENUE. THAT IS OUR BIGGEST PROBLEM. THAT IS THE PROBLEM THAT WE NEED TO RESOLVE, AND WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. WE WOULD HAVE HAD IT SOLVED IF WE HAD NOT ACCEPTED A COLA, AND NOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER SITUATION ON OUR HANDS WHERE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM OTHER CAPITAL PROJECTS, OR WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT FROM THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY. SO WE'RE NOT GIVING OURSELVES SALARY INCREASES. WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING OVER THE TOP. WE'RE TRYING. AND WE'RE ALL ALSO IN THE FACE OF NOW POLICE AND FIRE NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT PUBLICLY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE. I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT HERE, BUT IT'S APPROPRIATE. AND IF YOU NEED A TWO MINUTE BREAK AND YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE MANAGER ABOUT IT, THE UNIONS HAVE ASKED FOR THREE YEAR CONTRACTS, WHICH ARE AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, MR. MANAGER, THE LARGEST CONTRACTS I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST 13 YEARS, THEY ARE QUITE LARGE, MASSIVE, NOT LARGE, BY THE WAY, THAT ARE COMPOUNDED OVER THREE YEARS. SO IN THE FACE OF AMENDMENT THREE, IF IT PASSES AND NOW ALL THESE CUTS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH MONEY TO GO AROUND FOR THE MAYOR. SO I WANT TO MAKE SOMETHING EXTREMELY CLEAR. WE ARE MAKING. SO EVERYTHING THAT THE MAYOR SAID THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE MONEY FROM HERE AND THE CONTRACTS AND ALL OF [00:55:02] THAT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT SOMETHING TO BE PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE. WE CANNOT AFFORD OUR BILLS, BUT WE CAN AFFORD TO MAKE AN EXTRA PAYMENT TO THE PENSION. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX OUR STREETS. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GO AHEAD AND FIX OUR OUR SIDEWALKS. WE HAVE PEOPLE ON FIVE YEAR WAITING LIST FOR TRAFFIC CALMING, SO WHEN YOU TELL ME YOU ARE PAYING $9 MILLION EXTRA TO THE PENSION, OKAY, IT BAFFLES ME. IT REALLY DOES. BECAUSE IF WE DON'T WANT TO TAKE CARE OR FIX THE CITY, THE THINGS THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY, AT LEAST THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS CONTINUE PAYING AN EXTRA PAYMENT TO THE PENSION, BUT USE HALF OF THAT MONEY TO GIVE BACK TO THE RESIDENTS THAT ARE PAYING VERY HIGH TAXES IN THIS CITY. OKAY. NOW JUST KEEP ON PUTTING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS INTO AN EXTRA PAYMENT TO THE. AT NO MOMENT OR ANOTHER DID I SAY, LET'S NOT EXTRA FUND THE PENSION. I'M KEEPING A VERY FISCAL, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE APPROACH. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? AT THE SAME TIME, OUR RESIDENTS DO NEED RELIEF AND WE DON'T NEED TO KEEP ON POCKETING MONEY INTO OUR POCKETS AND SAVING. BECAUSE WE FEEL THAT IN SIX YEARS, WE'RE GOING TO BE DONE PAYING THE PENSION, BECAUSE WHAT WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT IS THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE TODAY, WE'RE NOT HERE TO SERVE PEOPLE IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS. WE'RE HERE TO SERVE EVERY CONSTITUENT THAT IS ALIVE RIGHT NOW, AND WE NEED TO DO IT IN A BALANCED APPROACH. SO ONCE AGAIN, I SECOND HIS MOTION, AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT HE SAW AT LEAST SOMETHING THROUGH MY EYES OF WHAT I'VE BEEN SEEING. LET ME, LET ME LET ME CORRECT THE RECORD, PLEASE. OKAY. FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU CAN'T CUT YOUR NOSE IN SPITE OF YOUR FACE. OKAY. YOU CAN'T SPEND FOR TODAY. YOU HAVE TO SPEND FOR THE FUTURE. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I TOOK OFFICE HERE. AND THEY TOLD ME OUR PENSION WAS FUNDED TO THE TUNE OF 52%. WE, AS A COMMISSION, HAD TO TAKE ACTION TO PAY DOWN BECAUSE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE BEFORE US. SO WHILE I WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE MOMENT TODAY, EVERYBODY DOES. YOU HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL AND SEE ALL THE GROUND THAT WE'VE MADE UP OVER 13 YEARS AND SOMEBODY IN SIX YEARS, WHOEVER'S IN PUBLIC OFFICE AT THAT POINT IS GOING TO HAVE $26 MILLION A YEAR TO BE ABLE TO RELIEVE, GIVE TAX RELIEF, PAY. PAY DOWN DEBT, PAY PROJECTS IN CASH OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY WANT TO DO. BUT THE IDEA THAT YOU JEOPARDIZE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE, IT'S THE SAME CONVERSATION WE HAD IN REGARDS TO SPENDING THE RESERVES. IT'S THE SAME CONVERSATION WE HAD THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AND SETS OUR CITY APART FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THAT DON'T HAVE OUR RESERVES, THAT DON'T HAVE OUR SYSTEM OF GOVERNANCE IN REGARDS TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. THIS IS A DECISION THAT IF WE GO BACK TO THE ROLLBACK RATE, I PROMISE YOU WE'LL DAMAGE THE CITY SIGNIFICANTLY. THE MAYOR WILL DAMAGE THE CITY. YES, MADAM VICE MAYOR. SO I'M JUST GOING TO REFLECT BACK ON PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC HEARINGS IN WHICH WE HAD RESIDENTS PRESENT, AND WE TALKED ABOUT MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION BEFORE. OKAY. FIRST, I'M GOING TO REMIND YOU THAT WHEN WE HAD THE DOUBLE DIGIT INCREASES IN PROPERTY VALUES, THE PRESENTATION THAT WAS DONE WAS FOR THE PURPOSE OF TRYING TO SIMULATE A 1% REDUCTION IN REVENUE IN ORDER TO PREVENT THE EXCESSIVE POSITIONS THAT WERE ASKED FOR OVER AND ABOVE WHAT OUR DEPARTMENTS, OUR CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED. AFTER THAT, YOU HAD PRESENTATIONS BECAUSE YOU VOTED AGAINST, BY THE WAY, THE MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION. YOU VOTED AGAINST THE GARBAGE FEE REDUCTION, BUT YOU HAVE THIS NEWFOUND AFFINITY TO TRY TO GIVE THE RICH THE BEST REDUCTION AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY'RE SUFFERING. RESIDENTS GAVE US DIRECTION TO PAY DOWN OUR DEBTS. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT OUR STAFF HAS BEEN DOING TO PAY DOWN THE PENSION DEBT. AND THAT HAS REAPED US VOLUMES OF BENEFITS FROM FROM BEING ABLE TO BRING MONEY BACK FROM TALLAHASSEE BECAUSE THEY WE EARNED THE RESPECT BECAUSE WE WERE FISCALLY SOUND IN THE WAY WE WERE MANAGING THE MONEY. IN FACT, IF EVERY CITY MANAGED THEIR BUDGET, THE WAY WE MANAGE [01:00:03] OUR BUDGET AND COUNTIES MANAGE THEIR BUDGET, THE WAY WE MANAGE OUR BUDGET, THE DISCUSSION OF PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION MAY NOT HAVE EVER OCCURRED IN TALLAHASSEE. BUT I'VE ASKED, IS THE ABILITY TO RAISE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION? THAT IS THE DIRECTION YOU NEED TO GO TO HELP THOSE OUT WHO NEED IT THE MOST. NOW, IF YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE DOUBLE DIGIT MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR HOMES, I UNDERSTAND THAT'S WHY YOU'RE MOTIVATED TO DO THIS. NOW YOUR MOTIVATIONS CAUSE ME PAUSE. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HELP THOSE WHO NEED THE HELP THE MOST, YOU WOULD FOCUS ON HELPING THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING, NOT THOSE WHO DON'T NEED THE HELP. MASSIVE FINANCE. JUST ONE SIMPLE QUESTION, MADAM FINANCE DIRECTOR. THE BOND RATING AGENCIES. FOR SOME THAT DOESN'T REALLY MEAN MUCH, BUT I TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN THAT. I DO, BECAUSE I WAS HERE WHEN THIS WAS A DOUBLE A RATED CITY. AND I'M SORRY, BUT IF WE'RE THE CITY BEAUTIFUL AND WE'RE THE BEST CITY, AND I HATE TO GO BACK ON THIS. AND IT'S VERY SIMPLE. AND I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME CERTAIN PEOPLE MAY NOT MAY NOT RESPECT IT, BUT I DO BECAUSE I'M THE ONE THAT TIGHTENED MY BELT TO BRING OUR RESERVES FROM 20 MILLION TO 65 MILLION. WHEN I WROTE THE LAW. I'M ALSO THE ONE THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO THE UNIONS AND TO THE EMPLOYEES TO PAY DOWN THEIR PENSIONS. SO WHEN THEY LEAVE HERE, IT'LL BE TAKEN CARE OF. AT LEAST ON MY WATCH, IT GOT TAKEN CARE OF, NOT DELAYED ANOTHER TEN YEARS WHEN I COULD HAVE HAD IT DONE IT IN FOUR. EVEN IF I DON'T HAVE IT. THAT'S THE THING. THE THING PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY NOT TO REALIZE IT. YOU KNOW HOW MANY SHINY OBJECTS I COULD HAVE BOUGHT TO MAKE MYSELF LOOK GOOD? OR THE COMMISSION LOOK GOOD? AND WE DECIDED AS A COMMISSION, THAT WAS REAL LEADERSHIP. IT WAS PEOPLE WHO SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S PUT THE CITY FIRST AND PAY DOWN OUR OBLIGATIONS. BUT LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHEN WE BECAME A TRIPLE TRIPLE A CITY, I REMEMBER HOW MUCH PRIDE WE HAD ON THAT, REMEMBER? AND HOW MUCH RECOGNITION WE RECEIVED FOR IT AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO REFINANCE OUR DEBT AT 2% LESS. I'M SORRY, 1.8. I REMEMBER THOSE DOCUMENTS RIGHT THERE, RIGHT IN FRONT OF US BEING SIGNED, AND HOW WE WERE ABLE TO SAVE MONEY AND DO THINGS THAT COULD HELP THE CITY. WHAT IS YOUR OPINION AS OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR? THE BOND RATING AGENCIES WOULD LOOK AT THIS RIGHT NOW IN FACE OF AMENDMENT THREE. IN THE FACE OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW, HOW WOULD THEY LOOK AT US AND WOULD THAT POTENTIALLY JEOPARDIZE OUR BOND RATING? SURE. SO. DIANA GOMEZ FINANCE DIRECTOR SO THERE'S NOT A SPECIFIC FORMULA NECESSARILY, BUT YES, THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT GRANTED US OUR TRIPLE A RATING. SO WE EARNED OUR TRIPLE A RATING WHEN WE DID THINGS LIKE HAVING STRONG FISCAL POLICIES, SUCH AS A 25% RESERVE FUNDING, THE EXTRA PAYMENT TO THE PENSION IN ORDER TO PAY THAT DOWN QUICKER THAN THE 20 YEARS THAT WOULD NATURALLY TAKE. SO IN MY OPINION, THOSE THINGS WE ABSOLUTELY WILL JEOPARDIZE OUR TRIPLE TRIPLE A RATING. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY LOOK AT TOO, IS OUR FLEXIBILITY, BECAUSE THE WAY THAT WE BUDGET, WE HAVE SOME FLEXIBILITY TO BE ABLE TO WEATHER SOMETHING THAT COMES UP. MAYBE THAT WAS UNEXPECTED. AND SO I THINK THAT NOT KNOWING WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH AMENDMENT THREE AND REDUCING THE, THE ONE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY THINK IS A STRONG FINANCIAL POLICY TO PAY OFF OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY, I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT COULD JEOPARDIZE OUR BOND RATINGS. AND I MEAN, WE ARE ACTUALLY MEETING WITH THE BOND RATING AGENCIES ON OCTOBER 5TH FOR THE FOR THE CITY HALL DEBT. AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL OBVIOUSLY DISCLOSE IF, IN FACT, THIS PASSES THE WAY THAT IT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE. AND SO WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT WE ARE REDUCING THOSE AMOUNTS AND THEY'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE GOING FOR RATINGS ON THE ON THE CITY HALL DEBT IN, IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK, YES, WILL POTENTIALLY AFFECT US NEGATIVELY BECAUSE WE WON'T GET TO THAT PLACE WHERE WE'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD TO GET TO, OR IT'LL TAKE US ANOTHER TEN YEARS OR 15 YEARS. AND IF WE REDUCE IT NOW, WHAT'S GOING TO STOP US FROM REDUCING IT THE NEXT TIME WE HAVE TO HAVE FIND SOME FUNDS, RIGHT? SO IT'S, IT'S MORE ABOUT [01:05:04] THE POLICY THAT AND THE COMMITMENT TO PAY THIS DOWN, THAT THEY FOUND A STRONG A STRONG POLICY. MISTER MANAGER. THANK YOU MAYOR. I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO BRING UP THE TRIPLE TRIPLE A RATING THAT YOU MENTIONED. WHEN THEY LOOK AT AT THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, THEY THEY SEE STRONG FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY. THEY SEE A CITY THAT CAN PAY ITS DEBTS. THEY SEE A $64 MILLION RESERVE. THEY SEE US PAYING OUR OUR PENSION PLAN AGGRESSIVELY. THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A TRIPLE A RATING. WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE WHEN THE INTEREST RATES WERE WITHIN ONE 1.8% TO 2.2%, WE WERE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR BONDS AT THAT LEVEL AND SAVE A AND SAVE SEVEN FIGURES. SO THERE'S NO QUESTION THAT IF WE START MOVING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION, THAT THAT THAT COULD AFFECT CERTAINLY AFFECT OUR TRIPLE, TRIPLE A RATINGS AND AFFECT OUR FUTURE BOND BOND PURCHASES. COMMISSIONER. LANA, THANK YOU. SO IT FEELS TO ME THIS IS SOMEWHAT COMING OUT OF LEFT FIELD. BUT LET ME LET ME ASK YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE I KNOW COMMISSIONER CASTRO'S INTRANSIENT ARE YOU WILLING TO SIDE WITH THE THREE OF US TO GO BACK TO A VOTE TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT MILLAGE RATE FOR THE NEXT YEAR? THE MAYOR. YES. ALL RIGHT. AND THEN I RESERVE. SO DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU SAY. I'VE HEARD EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN SAID, YOU KNOW, AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING. I'VE I'VE TAKEN NOTES ON EVERYTHING THAT HAS BEEN SAID UP HERE. BUT, COMMISSIONER, THE SENTIMENT THAT I HAVE BEEN GETTING IS THE REASON AMENDMENT THREE EXISTS IS BECAUSE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE NOT CUT THEIR MILITARY. TALLAHASSEE HAS BEEN SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN. I BELIEVE WE NEED TO SHOW OUR RESIDENTS THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE HARDSHIPS THEY'RE GOING THROUGH. AND IT'S NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE RICH VERSUS THE POOR. WE CAN DIVIDE SOCIETY ANY WHICH WAY WE WANT, BUT THAT TO THE AVERAGE RESIDENT, IT AFFECTS YOUR POCKETBOOK. AND WE HAVE SEE IF I CAN FIND THAT SLIDE. NON HOMESTEADED. DIANA. WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF NON HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION PROPERTIES. IT'S JUST UNDER 50%. IT'S IN THE SLIDE. OKAY. SO NON HOMESTEAD EXEMPTED PROPERTIES ARE OWNED BY PEOPLE AND THEN RENTED TO OTHER PEOPLE. EVERY TIME OUR TAXES GO UP THAT'S PASSED THROUGH TO THE RENTERS THAT ARE CHOOSING CORAL GABLES TO LIVE IN. AND JUST BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THEY'RE NOT HOMEOWNERS, THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE NOT AFFECTED BY THESE RAISES. ADDITIONALLY, AMENDMENT THREE WILL NOT AFFECT THESE PEOPLE AT ALL. AMENDMENT THREE WILL ONLY BE AFFECTING HOMESTEADED PROPERTIES. SO WE NEED TO TAKE TAKE ACTION TODAY. AND I DON'T THINK THAT MY PROPOSAL IS, AS YOU KNOW, WORDS THAT I'VE BEEN HEARING IS CATASTROPHIC. YOU KNOW, ALL FOR POLITICS. WHAT POLITICS DOES A COMMISSIONER WHO'S ONLY GOING TO BE HERE FOR TWO MORE MEETINGS AND IS NOT RUNNING FOR PUBLIC OFFICE, HAVE THERE IS NO POLITICS ABOUT THIS. THIS IS ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING AND DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR RESIDENTS. WE ARE STILL PUTTING EXTRA MONEY TOWARDS THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY. WE'RE REDUCING THAT. YES, BUT, YOU KNOW, COMMISSIONER CASTRO MADE A POINT AND WE'VE HEARD IT HERE BEFORE. YOU DON'T MAKE AN EXTRA PAYMENT ON YOUR MORTGAGE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SO. WE ARE PUTTING OUR RESIDENTS OUT BY PUTTING EXTRA MONEY INTO COVERING OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY, BY THE WAY, REACHING 100% FUNDED IS ON THE EXPECTATION THAT EVERYBODY ON STAFF IS GOING TO RETIRE NEXT YEAR. YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD, OR AT LEAST I HAVE HAD, PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE VISITED ME AND TOLD ME, WHEN YOU'RE AROUND 80%, YOU'RE SOLID BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE EVERY MEMBER OF STAFF RETIRE AT THE EXACT SAME TIME. AND, YOU KNOW, FINANCE STAFF TOLD US THAT THERE THE TRIPLE A BOND RATING IS GOING TO BE AFFECTED. WE'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE IN DECISIONS THAT THE COMMISSION HAS TAKEN, IT HASN'T BEEN AFFECTED. THERE'S REALLY NO WAY TO PREDICT THAT. BUT WE DO NEED TO DO SOMETHING TO SHOW OUR RESIDENTS OUTSIDE OF POLITICS. THIS IS ABOUT DOING THE RIGHT THING. AND, YOU KNOW, HEARING THAT, I MADE A COMMITMENT NOT TO CHANGE THE MILITARY BY VOTING FOR THE SENIOR RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM AND THE VETERANS RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM. AND YES, AT THE TIME, I HAD NO INTENTION OF CHANGING [01:10:05] THE MILLAGE RATE. BUT OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS, AND I'VE SEEN THE FACT THAT AFFORDABILITY IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE AFFECTING THE RESIDENTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA TODAY. GO TO ANY POLL THAT'S BEEN DONE STATEWIDE, INCLUDING AREAS OF CORAL GABLES. PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE NEXT MONTH'S PAYMENTS. SO, YOU KNOW, YOU SAY 100 AND $123 ISN'T GOING TO BE A MAJOR DIFFERENCE FOR PEOPLE. AN EXTRA $10 A MONTH COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE. YOU KNOW, IT MAY NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO MANY PEOPLE, BUT LET'S FACE IT, THERE ARE A LOT OF PROPERTIES IN CORAL GABLES THAT ARE VALUED AT OR OVER $1 MILLION. AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO MAY BE ON FIXED INCOME. SO AM I WILLING I'M REALLY NOT WILLING TO PASS THE MILLAGE RATE AS IT IS. I HAVE FLEXIBILITY, YES, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF RELIEF FOR FOR OUR RESIDENTS. I THINK A $3.4 MILLION REDUCTION IN IN OUR OUR AS RELIEF TO OUR RESIDENTS ISN'T A MAJOR IMPACT. I MEAN, I COULD HAVE JUST SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE HAVE THE ROLLBACK RATE. LET'S JUST FIGURE IT OUT. THAT'S NOT WHAT I CAME HERE TO DO. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE ROLLBACK RATE. LET'S WORK ON A SOLUTION THAT PROVIDES RELIEF TO THE RESIDENTS AND SHOWS OUR RESIDENTS WE CARE ABOUT THEM. WE'RE INTERESTED IN DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THEM AND PROVIDING THE RELIEF THAT THEY NEED. I MEAN, LET'S FACE IT, THEY NEED IT. GAS PRICES HAVE NOT COME DOWN. GAS PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE. I WAS DRIVING YESTERDAY LOOKING FOR A GAS STATION THAT WAS UNDER $4.15 FOR REGULAR GAS. I COULD NOT FIND ONE. I COULD NOT FILL MY GAS TANK BECAUSE MY CREDIT CARD MAXES OUT AT $75. THESE ARE PROBLEMS THAT PEOPLE ARE FACING ON A DAILY BASIS. $123 MAY NOT SEEM A LOT FOR PEOPLE WITH HIGHER INCOMES, BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A MAJOR INCOME, $123 DOES GO A LONG WAY. IT COULD BE THE DECISION BETWEEN SENDING THEIR CHILD TO AFTER CARE WHEN THEY NEED IT, OR EXTRA, YOU KNOW, AN EXTRA SESSION WITH A TUTOR OR BUYING EXTRA FOOD OR BUYING THE NECESSITIES THAT THEY HAVE. YOU KNOW, A ROLLBACK RATE WOULD BE A MAJOR IMPACT TO THE CITY. AND I DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE ROLLBACK RATE. I WANT TO FIND A MEDIUM WHERE WE'RE PROVIDING THE RELIEF TO THE RESIDENTS. WE'RE STILL FUNDING THE UNDERLYING. WE'RE STILL MAKING AN EXTRA PAYMENT TO THE TO THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY, BUT WE'RE PROVIDING RELIEF TO THE RESIDENTS. SO IF I MAY, FOR A SECOND, BECAUSE THE COMMISSIONER MADE A COMMENT THAT'S NOT CORRECT, FACTUALLY CORRECT. AND THIS IS FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS DIRECTLY OFF THE WEBSITE FOR RENTAL AND OTHER COVERED, NOT OTHER COVERED. NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTY AMENDMENT THREE CUTS THE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT GROWTH LIMIT FROM 10% TO 5%. SO THERE IS RELIEF AND IT CUTS IT BY 50%. SEE, WE CAN'T SPEAK AND MAKE COMMENTS LIKE THE ONE YOU MADE RIGHT NOW ON THE RECORD WITHOUT HAVING FACTS, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT. BESIDES THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS? IT'S GIVING YOUR WORD. YOU GAVE YOUR WORD TO THIS COMMISSION AND YOU SAID THAT YOU IF WE VOTED AND WE SUPPORTED YOU ON THAT, AND YOU WENT AND YOU AND YOU AND YOU WENT EXACTLY AGAINST IT, THAT'S FINE. IF YOU WANT TO VOTE THAT WAY, THAT'S PERFECTLY FINE. YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE CITY. BUT THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION. AND THE WORST PART ABOUT IT WAS WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE UNDERLYING TO THE TUNE OF $1 MILLION BEFORE ANY OF US HERE KNEW, KNEW THAT YOU WERE GOING TO PROPOSE LOWERING THE MILLAGE RATE. I DIDN'T KNOW. NO ONE TOLD ME ANYTHING THAT WHILE WE WERE HAVING NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE UNDERLYING, BUT WE WERE AGREEING TO TERMS THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE PRESSURE ADDED INTO THE PRESSURE COOKER. SO IT IS GOING TO AFFECT RENTALS. IT'S GOING TO CUT BY 50%. YOU HEARD THE MANAGER EXPLAIN IT IN DETAIL. YOU DIDN'T TELL US WHEN WE WERE NEGOTIATING WITH THE WITH THE UNDERLYING THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE GOING TO FACE. SO THIS IS ALL ADDED PRESSURE. AND YOU SAID YOU'RE LEAVING IN TWO WEEKS, YOU KNOW, IN TWO MEETINGS. AGAIN, AT THE END, I COULD HAVE GONE BACK TO THE ROLLBACK RATE. I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND. TO ME, AND IT'S YOU SAID YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND THEN YOU DON'T DO WHAT YOU SAID. SO WE VOTED IN FAVOR OF IT. I COULD HAVE EASILY SAID, I'M NOT VOTING IN FAVOR OF THIS BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION WE'RE IN. AND THEN RIGHT NOW YOU COME UP AND YOU SAY, WELL, I'M GOING TO LOWER THE MILLAGE RATE. YOU UNDERSTAND IF AMENDMENT THREE PASSES, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE REDUCTION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST, IT IS THE ANTITHESIS OF WHAT YOU'RE DOING HERE RIGHT NOW WITH THE MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION. THE MILITARY REDUCTION HELPS THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE. YEAH. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE DID IT. WE DID IT FOR THE GARBAGE. THAT'S WHY WE DIDN'T DO THE GARBAGE. WE SAID, LET'S DO THE GARBAGE BECAUSE IT SAVES YOU MONEY. THE MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION HELPS THE WEALTHIEST OF THE PEOPLE. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE DOING AN ASSESSMENT INCREASE. EXCUSE ME? TO THE HOMESTEAD, TO THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, JUST LIKE [01:15:05] THE VICE MAYOR SAID, BY INCREASING THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION TO $250,000, ANYBODY WHO BOUGHT A HOUSE FOR LET'S JUST USE THE RANDOM NUMBER OF $500,000 IS LITERALLY GOING TO SEE A 50% REDUCTION IN THEIR TAXES. IT'S MASSIVE. THAT IS MASSIVE. BUT NOW YOU'RE LOWERING THE MILLAGE RATE. AND AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN FIVE, TEN, 15, $20 MILLION HOUSES ARE GOING TO SEE A MONSTROUS REDUCTION. SO WHY ARE WE GIVING YOU TOLD ME VERY CLEARLY ON THE RECORD AND WE CAN FIND IT HERE. YOU SAID, VINCE, YOU LOWERING THE MILITARY TO THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE. YOU ARE LOWERING THE WEALTHIEST FOR THE RICHEST. YOU HAD TOM WELLS HERE SCREAMING AT ME, TELLING ME YOU'RE LOWERING THE YOU'RE LOWERING THE MONEY FOR THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE, FOR THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE. YOU'RE HELPING ONLY THE RICH PEOPLE. YOU WANT TO LOWER SOMETHING. LET'S LOWER GARBAGE. IT'S ALL GARBAGE. ANOTHER HUNDRED DOLLARS. MAYOR. I KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE PAINFUL, BUT WHAT I'M SAYING. BUT BUT BUT WE WE CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. YOU CAN'T ACCUSE ME OF SOMETHING AND THEN COME BACK THREE, THREE YEARS LATER, TWO YEARS LATER AND SAY, HEY, VINCE, I WANT TO DO THE SAME THING YOU WANT TO DO. BY THE WAY, WHEN PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP BY HALF OF WHAT THEY WHAT THEY DID WHEN I PROPOSED THE MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION, THESE ARE ALL FACTS, ALL FACTS. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THAT. I UNDERSTAND YOU WANT A MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION, I GET IT, BUT WHY DIDN'T YOU SUPPORT ME THREE YEARS AGO? WHY DIDN'T YOU SUPPORT ME WHEN WE WERE GROWING BY 11% ALMOST? YOU SAID NO. AND THEN TODAY YOU WANT IT IN A SITUATION WHERE WE WEREN'T. WE'RE NOT FACING AMENDMENT THREE. YOU TOLD ME VERY CLEARLY, VINCE. A MILITARY REDUCTION WILL ONLY HELP THE RICHEST OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE. YOU WANT TO HELP THE RICH PEOPLE. AND I SAID, NO, I DON'T. AND THEN YOU CAME TO THE CONCLUSION, AND I MET YOU HALFWAY, AND I SAID, LET'S DO A REDUCTION IN GARBAGE. AND YOU SAID, PERFECT. AND WE DID IT THROUGH THE MAYOR. COMMISSIONER, MY LAST POINT. LET'S USE COMMON SENSE. OKAY? LET'S USE COMMON SENSE. YOU SEE ALL THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON, YOU SEE HOW WE ACCEPTED YOUR TWO REQUESTS FOR THE GRANT PROGRAMS? LET'S BE REASONABLE AND LET'S NOT BE HARD HEADED AND TRY TO DO THINGS WHEN YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT THREE YEARS AGO, WHEN I BROUGHT UP THE SAME ISSUES, YOU SAID, NO, YOU WERE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT ON THAT ISSUE, AND YOU SAID IT WAS ONLY HELP THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES. JUST TO ANSWER YOUR POINTS. I THINK I EXPLAINED SOME OF THE THINGS THAT YOU JUST MENTIONED DURING MY INTRODUCTION LAST ELECTION. YOU RAN ON CUTTING PEOPLE'S TAXES. YOU GAVE YOUR WORD TO PEOPLE ABOUT CUTTING THEIR TAXES, AND WE CUT THE GARBAGE. NO, WE HAD ALREADY CUT THE GARBAGE. NO, WE CUT THE GARBAGE. WE HAD CUT THE GARBAGE BEFORE. WE DIDN'T CUT IT AGAIN. WE HAVEN'T CUT THE GARBAGE AGAIN. IN FACT, GARBAGE WENT UP THIS YEAR. SMALL AMOUNT, BUT IT WENT UP THIS YEAR. NOW YOU PUT SOMETHING ON THE TABLE THAT I'M WILLING TO CONSIDER. ARE WE ABLE GIVE AN ADDITIONAL REDUCTION ON THE GARBAGE FEE AT THIS POINT? SO THE GARBAGE BILLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PAID, THE EARLY PAYMENT HAS BEEN MADE, AND THE ITEMS HAVE GONE TO THE TAX COLLECTOR TO BE WHATEVER HASN'T BEEN PAID, WE WOULD HAVE TO CUT REFUND CHECKS TO EACH RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER IF WE'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM BACK. CAN IT BE DONE? YES. IT'S 11,000 PIECES OF MAIL AND CHECKS CUT, BUT THAT IS WHAT WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THROUGH THE MAYOR. I'M WILLING TO CONSIDER THAT OPTION OF GIVING AN ADDITIONAL REDUCTION ON THE GARBAGE FEE AS A WAY OF, OF HELPING OUR RESIDENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT COMPROMISE. I'M WILLING TO COMPROMISE ON THAT. THE MAYOR. I HAVE A COMPROMISE THAT I THINK WILL HELP THE PEOPLE OUT THAT NEED ABSOLUTELY THE HELP THE MOST. AS YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN KEEPING OFFICE HOURS EVERY FRIDAY EXCEPT FOR WHEN I'M OUT OF TOWN. I'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT OF PEOPLE AND A LOT OF THEIR CONCERNS. THE SEPTIC TANK IS FAILING. THEY NEED TO REPLACE IT. THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DO SO. DO WE HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM? LET'S ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM. PASS THIS MILLAGE RATE. AND ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM. $1 MILLION. PEOPLE THAT HAVE UNDER $50,000 A YEAR IN INCOME. WILL QUALIFY. THEY CAN'T PAY FOR THIS CONVERSION. THEIR SEPTIC TANKS ARE LEAKING AND OCD SEPTIC TANK COSTS $65,000. IF THEIR ROOF FAILS. WE KNOW NOW THAT ROOFS COST AT LEAST $40,000. 100 BUCKS ISN'T GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE NEED TO ESTABLISH A GRANT PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE DO THIS CONVERSION. THEY'RE HAVING ROACHES CRAWLING OUT OF THEIR SEPTIC TANKS. AND THIS IS JUST RECENT CONVERSATIONS I'VE HAD WITH [01:20:01] INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ELDERLY. ONE JUST LOST HIS SPOUSE, HER SPOUSE, AND HE NEED HELP. WE NEED TO START SOMEWHERE. THIS PROGRAM NEEDS TO GET MOVING. WE NEED TO HELP OUT INDIVIDUALS, BE ABLE TO MAKE THIS CONVERSION. THE MAYOR. YES, YES. OKAY. SO FOR THE PAST 11 OR 10 YEARS, THERE HASN'T BEEN A MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION. COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND PLEAD WITH YOU THAT YOU LEAVE YOUR MOTION AS IT IS, BECAUSE THE PLAN IN THIS COMMISSION, AFTER SPEAKING TO ADMINISTRATION, IS AFTER THE AMENDMENT PASSES, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND RAISE THE GARBAGE FEE. SO WHATEVER DECISION YOU MAKE HERE MAY VERY WELL BE VERY DIFFERENT THAN NEXT YEAR, THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE AROUND HERE. AND I THINK THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO GIVE A REAL RELIEF, AS YOU WERE STATING, BECAUSE I AM, I'M KNOCKING ON DOORS AND I AM GETTING THE SAME THING. TAXES, ERUPTION AND DEVELOPMENT. AND THAT IS THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS HERE IN CORAL GABLES. SO I'M PLEADING WITH YOU TO NOT LET MY COLLEAGUES CHANGE YOUR MIND. YOU ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK. YES, SIR. RIGHT. SO. IT FEELS LIKE WHAT WE JUST GOT THROWN HERE IS, YOU KNOW, ALMOST LIKE AN OCTOBER TYPE SURPRISE RIGHT BEFORE OCTOBER, BECAUSE NONE OF THIS WAS EVEN HINTED AT WHEN WE WERE MAKING DECISIONS DURING THE LAST SEVERAL MEETINGS THAT WE WOULD BE FACING IN THE 11TH HOUR, WHAT LOOKS LIKE AND WHAT FEELS LIKE A STRONG ARM ATTEMPT TO, TO BRING DOWN THE MILLAGE RATE BECAUSE IT REQUIRES A FOUR FIFTH APPROVING VOTE. LET ME JUST TAKE A SECOND TO REMIND EVERYBODY, OKAY, COMMISSIONER CASTRO, COMMISSIONER HERNANDEZ, AT THE START OF YOUR POLITICAL CAREERS, YOUR POSITION WAS, I'M GOING TO DOUBLE MY PAY. I'M GOING TO GIVE MYSELF A CAR ALLOWANCE THAT NEVER EXISTED, ALMOST TO THE TUNE OF $10,000 A YEAR. I'M GOING TO INCREASE MY BUSINESS STIPEND, AND I'M GOING TO DO THIS ALL UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT, PRACTICALLY SPEAKING, BECAUSE THERE YOU WERE SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE RESIDENTS AND THE RELIEF THEY NEED. AND I'M NOT GOING TO ACCEPT FOR A MOMENT THAT YOU FELT BACK THEN, EVERYBODY WAS ENJOYING DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES AND THAT TODAY THINGS ARE DIFFICULT AND THE WINES TURNED SOUR. THE ONLY THING THAT'S TURNED SOUR IS YOUR EVER CHANGING POSITION REGARDING THESE POLITICAL THEATER ATTEMPTS, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WHAT I'M HEARING IS WE HAVE ONE COMMISSIONER THAT SAYS THERE ARE TWO SCHEDULED MEETINGS LEFT IN HIS POLITICAL CAREER. YOU MAY ATTEND BOTH OF THEM. YOU MAY NOT ATTEND ANY OF THEM YOU HAVE VOLUNTARILY CHOSEN NOT TO ATTEND. IN THE PAST SCHEDULED MEETINGS. SAME THING WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER CASTRO. YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE ATTENDING A VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION GATHERING, RATHER THAN APPEAR FOR WHAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO IS TO CAST VOTES DURING A COMMISSION MEETING. SO ON THE ONE HAND, COMMISSIONER CASTRO, YOU DON'T EVEN PAY PROPERTY TAXES AND YOU'RE MAKING DECISIONS THAT AFFECT LONG AFTER YOU'RE NO LONGER HERE. THE BOND RATING THAT WE HAVE STRUGGLED SO HARD TO ACHIEVE. I HAVEN'T SEEN A SINGLE RESIDENT APPEAR ASKING FOR THE MILLAGE RATE TO BE REDUCED AND THE EUPHEMISTIC. WELL, I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF RESIDENTS. WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE KNOCKING ON DOORS, IT RINGS SOMEWHAT HOLLOW. EVERYBODY WANTS, I GUESS, TO PAY LESS FOR SOMETHING. I AM NOT A RICH MAN. I, I DON'T DRIVE TWO MASERATIS, RIGHT? I, HOWEVER, LIVE IN A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR HOME. I WOULD BENEFIT GREATLY THROUGH THE ROLLBACK RATE. WHEN I WAS ELECTED, I SAID, AND I RAN ON THIS PROMISE. WHEN I CUT THE RATE OF PAY IN HALF. I RAN AND WON WITH THE RIGHT TO HAVE THE INCREASED PAY THAT YOU AWARDED YOURSELVES. BUT I STILL CUT IT IN HALF, GOT RID OF THE CAR ALLOWANCE, BROUGHT THE STIPEND DOWN. I I'M SURPRISED THE MAYOR MENTIONED EARLIER THAT SOMEONE WAS TRYING TO TAP INTO SOME OTHER COMMISSIONER'S UNUSED FUNDS. I REALLY HOPE THAT WASN'T ME. BUT THAT WAS THAT WAS COMMISSIONER CASTRO. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE. OKAY. BUT [01:25:01] THAT BEING SAID. BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND MAINTAINING THE VERY HARD EARNED TRIPLE RATING, TRIPLE A RATING THAT WE HAVE WITH THE BONDS IS IN FACT SAVING TAXES FOR THE PEOPLE OF CORAL GABLES. BEING FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE MEANS WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY MORE IN INTEREST. YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THE ASSISTANT FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS CLEAR LEAVE THE MILLAGE RATE WHERE IT IS. I'M NOT ABOUT TO DEBATE THEM ON ISSUES THAT THEY ARE EXPERTS IN AND HAVE LAID OUT OVER THE COURSE OF COUNTLESS HOURS OF CALCULATION AND MEETINGS THAT WE'VE HAD TO SIT HERE TODAY AND SAY THAT WE KNOW BETTER UNDER THE GUISE OF WE MUST GIVE BACK TO THE PEOPLE WE ARE GIVING BACK TO THE PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND MY VOTES HAVE SHOWN THAT I HAVEN'T AWARDED MYSELF DOUBLE PAY. I HAVEN'T AWARDED MYSELF A CAR ALLOWANCE, AND I BRING THAT UP BECAUSE I FIND IT IRONIC THAT IN THE SUNSET OF ONE COMMISSIONER'S POLITICAL CAREER AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL IN THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES AND ANOTHER ONE THAT. IS DESPERATELY TRYING TO GET REELECTED, BUT IS PLAYING THE SAME OLD SONG AND HYMN BOOK, GIVE, GIVE, GIVE BACK, BECAUSE WE'LL PAY TOMORROW. THE TRUTH IS, IF WE END UP DOING WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE, WHICH IS TO BRING DOWN THE MILLAGE RATE YOU'RE GOING TO PAY EITHER TODAY OR YOU'RE GOING TO PAY TOMORROW DEARLY. THERE'S NO WAY AROUND IT. YOU'VE GOT TO PAY FOR THE PARTY YOU WANT TO THROW TODAY, TOMORROW. SO I'M IMPLORING YOU, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, BECAUSE I DON'T BELIEVE I'M GOING TO GET ANY TRACTION WITH COMMISSIONER CASTRO ON THIS ONE. IN THE VERY LAST SIGNIFICANT VOTES THAT YOU CAN BE CASTING AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL BEFORE YOU STEP DOWN, DO THE RIGHT THING. PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE FOUGHT SO HARD TO ACHIEVE, NOT ONLY FOR THE RESIDENTS TODAY, BUT FOR THE WORLD THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE LIVING IN. IN CORAL GABLES TOMORROW. WE CAN WORK ON OTHER WAYS TO PROVIDE RELIEF. WE DO THAT IN EVERY MEETING. WE ALWAYS TRY AND FIGURE OUT A WAY. EVEN TODAY, WE FOUND SOME RELIEF AND HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THE AUDITING SERVICES OF THE AUDITORS, WHO WILL BE DOING SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES. WE ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF GIVING AWAY THE PEOPLE'S MONEY FRIVOLOUSLY OR CARELESSLY. IT'S NOT SEXY TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. I THINK IT IS, BUT I GUESS IT'S NOT. IT'S NICER AND FUN TO GIVE IT AWAY. BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY, VERY SMART TODAY. I HAVEN'T SEEN A SINGLE RESIDENT CLAMORING FOR THE REDUCTION OF THE MILLAGE RATE, BUT THE PEOPLE I SPEAK TO, WELL, I TAKE IT BACK OUT OF A CITY OF NEARLY 5000 PEOPLE RIP HOMES HAS SPOKEN. OKAY, UNDERSTOOD. BUT NEVERTHELESS, WE'RE NOT A GOVERNING BODY THAT LIVES BY THE RULE OF THE MOB. RIGHT? IF EVERYBODY TODAY WERE TO BE ASKED IN A POLL, HEY, DO YOU WANT TO PAY LESS IN TAXES? AND THEY ALL SAID YES. I STILL WOULDN'T SAY, LET'S DO IT. WE WERE ELECTED TO DO THE RIGHT THING. WE'VE BEEN DOING THE RIGHT THING. WE'VE TAKEN THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS THAT WE NEEDED TO TAKE. AND I THINK THE TWO YEARS AGO, WE TOOK THE BIGGEST PIVOT TO HEAD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. WE SHOULD BE AVOIDING AT ALL COSTS THE ROLLBACK RATE. I'M NOT WILLING TO MOVE FROM MY VOTE TO KEEP THE MILLAGE RATE WHERE IT IS. I'M NOT THE KIND OF GUY TO DRAW A LINE IN THE SAND, BUT SOMEBODY'S GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR MIND. AND WE'RE LOOKING AT A ROLLBACK RATE, AND IT WON'T BE ON MY WATCH THAT OCCURRED, OR THROUGH MY DECISION THROUGH THE MAYOR. EXCUSE ME ONE SECOND. ARE YOU DONE, COMMISSIONER? YES, YES. YOU'RE THE MAYOR? YES. SO I FIND IT SOMEWHAT INSULTING WHEN IT COMES TO TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE WHO RENT. OKAY. NOT ONLY INSULTING TO ME, BUT IT IS INSULTING TO EVERY PERSON IN THIS CITY THAT RENTS. AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU WHY, BECAUSE THERE IS PASS THROUGH. CUTS, NOT PASS THROUGH CUTS, BUT WE PAY FOR OUR TAXES DURING OUR, OUR, OUR, OUR LEASE PAYMENTS. THAT'S HOW TAXES ARE PAID. OKAY. SO FOR YOU TO SAY THAT, LIKE I PUT ON THE VIDEO THAT BECAUSE I'M A RENTER, MY DECISIONS DON'T MATTER OR THAT I CANNOT MAKE IMPORTANT DECISIONS BECAUSE I AM RENTING [01:30:03] LARGO. I COULD BUY THREE HOMES RIGHT NOW AND I'VE DECIDED NOT TO. OKAY. BUT THE FACT THAT I RENT AND I PAY A VERY, VERY HIGH RENT, PROBABLY MORE THAN THE MORTGAGE YOU PAY ON YOUR OWN HOUSE. OKAY, DOES NOT MEAN THAT I'M WORTH LESS OR THAT MY VOICE DOESN'T COUNT, NOR DO THE VOICES OF THE OTHER PEOPLE THAT RENT IN THIS COMMUNITY. OKAY, MY, THE SECOND THING I'M GOING TO SAY IS THAT I MOVE TO END DEBATE AND CALL FOR A VOTE. MAY I RESPOND THROUGH THE MAYOR? IS THERE A SECOND? I'M STILL RUNNING THE MEETING. STILL RUNNING THE MEETING. STILL HERE, STILL HERE, STILL HERE. FIRST AND FOREMOST, BRIEFLY, I'M SUPER EXCITED. I'M SUPER EXCITED THAT SHE KNOWS HOW MUCH MY MORTGAGE IS. AND I THINK IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO INVEST. SO I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DON'T BUY ONE, BUT YOU BUY THOSE THREE HOUSES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU'RE WAITING SO LONG. THE PRICE IS ONLY GOING UP. SO. COMMISSIONER LARA, LET'S TAKE A VOTE ON THIS OR WE HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD. GO AHEAD REAL BRIEFLY. RIGHT. SO COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ OH I'M NOT GOING TO ADDRESS YOU, COMMISSIONER CASTRO. I KNOW BETTER THAN TO TRY AND DEBATE WITH SOMEONE WHO CHANGES WHAT I SAID TO SUIT THEIR NARRATIVE. WE'LL JUST MOVE AWAY FROM THAT. COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, ONE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO MENTION TO YOU. YOU MENTIONED THAT AMENDMENT THREE IS AS A RESULT OF TALLAHASSEE POINTING THE FINGER AT MUNICIPALITIES AND SAYING, YOU'RE NOT RUNNING YOUR, YOUR, YOUR GOVERNMENTS WITH A WITH A FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE APPROACH. RIGHT. WELL, WE WOULDN'T BE LOOKING AT AMENDMENT THREE IF THE STATE OF FLORIDA WAS REPLETE WITH MUNICIPALITIES WITH A TRIPLE A BOND RATING LIKE CORAL GABLES IS. SO THAT IS NOT THE PROPER YARDSTICK, RIGHT. OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE CLEARLY NOT RUNNING THEIR THEIR MUNICIPALITIES AND THEIR BUDGETS VERY WELL. THEY DON'T HAVE THE STAFF THAT WE DO OR THE LEADERSHIP THAT WE DO IN MAKING THESE DECISIONS YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE'VE DONE IT CORRECTLY. I'VE GONE TO TALLAHASSEE TO BE TOLD BY OUR ELECTED LEADERS IN THE CAPITAL, WELL DONE, WELL DONE, BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS DECISIONS WERE ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH AN ICEBERG, AND YOU WEREN'T GOING TO GET ANY MORE MONEY FROM ME. SO JUST TO LEVEL SET, WE'VE BEEN DOING THINGS VERY WELL HERE. WE ARE RIGHTFULLY EARNING OUR TRIPLE A RATING THAT CAUSES US TO SAVE MONEY, THAT REDUCES THE TAXES, AND IT ALLOWS US TO BE PREPARED FOR THE FUTURE AND TO INVEST IN THE WORLD THAT OUR RESIDENTS DESERVE. BEING RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES THROUGH THE MAYOR. THE MOTION ON THE TABLE. JUST TO ANSWER SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH SOMEBODY AND HAVE COME UP WITH A SOLUTION, ATTACKING THEM DOESN'T GET YOU VERY FAR. YEAH, THAT'S ALL YOU'VE DONE. THE TWO TIMES HAVE YOU SPOKEN, YOU TALK ABOUT CIVILITY. YOU TALK ABOUT THE NEED FOR CIVILITY, BUT YOU DO NOT EXEMPLIFY IT AT MOMENTS LIKE THIS. SO I ASK YOU TO JUST RESET. I'M TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION. WHEN YOU WERE GIVEN THE FLOOR. I HAD JUST SPOKEN TO DIANA, OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR, ABOUT A POTENTIAL MIDDLE GROUND, SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT WAS OFFERED BY THE MAYOR AND MADAM FINANCE DIRECTOR. THE NUMBER YOU GAVE ME, IF WE WERE TO GIVE, WE SAID THE AVERAGE HOME IN CORAL GABLES WOULD RECEIVE $123 RELIEF. IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WE'RE NOT REDUCING YOUR TAXES. WE'RE REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF TAXES THAT ARE BEING INCREASED. IF WE KEEP THE MILLAGE RATE, YOUR TAXES WILL GO UP. COMMISSIONER, MAY I, MAY I JUST ADD SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT. LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT THE RENTERS, AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, BUT I JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING TO YOU SO YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THIS. OKAY. WHEN YOU SAY AN AVERAGE OF $123, REMEMBER, YOU LIVE IN A HOME, $1 MILLION OR LESS, YOU'RE GOING TO GET LESS THAN THAT. CORRECT? A LOT LESS THAN THAT. THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING. SO, OKAY, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE I NEED TO MAKE THAT, I NEED TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. SO THAT'S WHERE I WAS GOING. I ASKED OUR FINANCE DIRECTOR WHAT THE IMPACT WOULD BE IF WE WERE TO AUTHORIZE A REDUCTION IN THE GARBAGE FEE OF $123 TO THE [01:35:02] 11,000 HOMES THAT ARE ON OUR GARBAGE ROLLS. AND THAT NUMBER WAS I'M GOING TO ROUND UP TO $1.4 MILLION, 1.4, 1.3 HIGH. BUT I HAVE AN OFFER FOR YOU. OKAY, $50. BRING IT DOWN TO $500. THAT MEANS WHEN YOU STARTED HERE IN THE COMMISSION, WE'VE LOWERED GARBAGE TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY. THAT'S A DECENT NUMBER. IT GIVES. IT GIVES A ROUND. NICE, BEAUTIFUL NUMBER OF $500 FOR GARBAGE. IT PUTS US IN A GOOD POSITION. WE CAN FUND THE UNDERLYING. THEY'RE LOOKING AT ME WITH, LIKE THEIR EYES, LIKE THEY'RE ABOUT TO GET HIT BY A TRUCK. YOU KNOW, LITERALLY. FIVE. WE CAN FUND THE UNDERLYING AND WE CAN FUND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE TO FUND HERE FACING AMENDMENT THREE. SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. OUR GARBAGE FEE IS OVER 5550. YES. SO IT WAS 550 THIS YEAR. IT'S 5572. SO YOU WOULD GET TO A REDUCTION OF $72 TO GET THERE. SO I'LL MEET YOU AT THE MIDDLE AT 75 THROUGH THE MAYOR, THE THE GARBAGE, THE GARBAGE FEE WAS NOT INCREASED. WELL, WE JUST ADDED IT WAS A PASS THROUGH FOR THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THAT THE COUNTY CHARGES FOR TREATING WASTEWATER. SO IT WAS $22. SO IT WENT FROM $500 TO $572. BUT WE DID NOT RAISE RAISE THE FEE ITSELF, JUST THE THE PASS THROUGH AMOUNT THROUGH THE MAYOR. I HAVE ANOTHER PROPOSAL FOR YOU THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED THE HELP. AND THAT IS HYPOTHETICALLY NUMBER. WE CAN ALWAYS PLAY MULTIPLICATION GAMES HERE IN A MOMENT. IT WAS $50 11,000 HOMES ON GARBAGE FEES. THAT'S $550,000. LET'S PUT IT IN A GRANT FUND TO HELP THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO DO SEPTIC TO SEWER CONVERSIONS AND CANNOT AFFORD TO DO SO. I'M WILLING TO DO WHATEVER YOU GUYS WANT TO DO THROUGH THE MAYOR. TO LOWER EXPOSURE. AGAIN, I'M WILLING TO GO TO THE $75 ON THE GARBAGE FEE. I DO NOT WANT TO CREATE A GRANT PROGRAM THAT THAT MONEY IS GOING TO THEN GO TO WHOEVER APPLIES FOR IT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GOING TO GO TO PEOPLE RIGHT NOW. THAT'S GOING TO GO TO PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING FOR A SEPTIC TO SEWER, ARE ABLE TO DO SEPTIC TO SEWER. BUT RIGHT NOW, WHAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING IS WE NEED TO PROVIDE THE RELIEF. I'M COMING DOWN QUITE A BIT FROM WHERE I WAS. I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FUND THIS YEAR'S RESIDENT RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM AND VETERANS RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM. AND THAT IS A DIFFERENCE OF ABOUT 65,000. WAS IT A I'M SORRY, THE RESIDENT RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM AND THE VETERANS RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM? IT WAS ABOUT 40, I WANT TO SAY 46,000 WAS IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT 46,000, I BELIEVE. AND THEN AT $75 PER HOUSEHOLD, WHAT DOES THAT AMOUNT TO? I WANT THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF WHAT THE IMPLICATION WOULD BE. SO $75. 80. ABOUT $846,000, BECAUSE THERE'S MAYBE 11,280. THE NUMBER OF HOUSES CHANGE EACH YEAR. BUT SO TO ROUND NUMBER IT WOULD BE 11,000 HOMES. TIMES 75 IS 825. BUT I'M GOING TO ROUND UP TO SAY MAYBE CLOSE. YEAH. SO WITH BOTH OR WITH WITH THE RESIDENT RELIEF GRANT, WITH THE WITH THE $75, WITH THE VETERANS RELIEF GRANT AND THE SENIOR RELIEF, WE'RE ABOUT JUST UNDER $900,000 THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES. WHEN I KNOCKED DOORS DURING COVID, PEOPLE WANTED TO GO SEPTIC TO SEWER, BUT WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WE. YOU WERE HERE AND YOU LISTENED TO IT BEFORE YOU EVEN ELECTED, THAT SOME PEOPLE COULD NOT AFFORD TO DO SO. OKAY. A MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT, WHO BASINS PEOPLE WANTING TO MOVE FORWARD NOW. BUT YET YOU HAVE PEOPLE IN THOSE BASINS THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO DO SO. WE NEED TO HAVE A WAY TO FUND A GRANT PROGRAM. YOU WANT TO HELP PEOPLE THAT NEED HELP THE MOST, THE PEOPLE IN THE WALKERS, THE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD TO FUND THESE TYPE OF THINGS. YOU NEED TO PUT MONEY WHERE THEY CAN GET IT, AND WE CAN DO THAT. NOW, THE $75 IS NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE FOLKS IN SNAPPER CREEK. MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO BE PAYING THEIR GARBAGE FEES WITHOUT A PROBLEM. AN EXTRA 25 BUCKS OFF AN EXTRA 50 BUCKS OFF IS NOT GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEM. BUT OUR JOB IS TO HELP OUR OUR INDIVIDUALS. AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE SLIDES ON HUMAN FECAL COUNT IN OUR WATERWAY, WHICH IS GOING OUT INTO THE BAY AND BE ABLE TO TO LEAVE WITH YOUR HEAD HIGH, KNOWING THAT YOU DID SOMETHING REALLY MAGNIFICENTLY GREAT FOR OUR RESIDENTS THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO DO THIS, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL BASINS THAT NEED [01:40:05] HELP. THOSE BASINS INCLUDE BASINS ALONG UNIVERSITY DRIVE BASINS THAT INCLUDE NORTH OF THE BILTMORE HOTEL, WHICH ENCOMPASSED THE LITTLE FLOWER CHURCH OF THE LITTLE FLOWER, GRANADA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. ALL THOSE HOMES ARE WITHIN BLOCKS OR BACKED UP TO THE WATERWAY. AS ONE OF THOSE RESIDENTS DESCRIBED TO ME, THEY CAN NO LONGER SEE IN THE WATER. IT HAS BEGUN TO START TO SMELL AND TO CONTINUE TO KICK THIS CAN DOWN THE ROAD AND NOT FIND A SOLUTION FOR THOSE RESIDENTS THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS. CONVERSION IS THE IMPROPER THING TO DO. LET'S PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER. LET'S DO SOMETHING AND PUT FUNDING WHERE THESE RESIDENTS THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO DO THIS TYPE OF CONVERSION CAN DO IT. ANOTHER RESIDENT ALONG THE CANAL ALSO WANTING TO GET THIS THIS PROJECT DONE. THEIR PLANTS AND TREES ARE DYING BECAUSE THE SOIL IS SO CONTAMINATED FROM THE TANKS LEAKING. I'VE BEEN TAKING THOSE CALLS. I'VE BEEN THE ONE THAT'S BEEN RECEIVING THE PEOPLE COMING IN TO MY OFFICE ON FRIDAYS. I'VE BEEN RESPONDING TO THOSE EMAILS BECAUSE PEOPLE KNEW THAT I WAS WORKING ON A SEPTIC TO SEWER CONVERSION. IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT ANY, YOU KNOW, I WAS TAKING THE LEAD ON IT. BUT TO IGNORE THIS PROBLEM FOR DECADE AFTER DECADE AFTER DECADE IS THE IMPROPER THING TO DO. IT'S THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO AND ENJOY OUR WATERWAYS, OUR BAY. YOU KNOW, I CAN'T RECOMMEND THAT THEY EVEN GO SWIM IN OUR BAY BECAUSE IT'S SO CONTAMINATED. IGNORING THIS PROBLEM IS NOT THE WAY TO HANDLE IT. THAT'S MY PROPOSAL FOR YOU. PUT THE MONEY INTO A GRANT PROGRAM. THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY. I SET THE BAR. IF YOU WANT TO SET IT AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL, THAT'S FINE, BUT THERE'S ROUGHLY 700 HOMES IN EACH ONE OF THESE TWO BASINS. THERE'S A PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT. WHY IGNORE THIS PROBLEM YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR? HELP THESE PEOPLE OUT TO MAKE THE CONVERSION. THE MAYOR. YES. COMMISSIONER FERNANDES, I WANT YOU TO GO AHEAD AND PUT SOMETHING INTO PERSPECTIVE. AND IT IS THAT EVERYONE GIVING A REDUCTION TO THE GARBAGE DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT REDUCTION TO THE GARBAGE, BECAUSE WASTE MANAGEMENT. GO AHEAD AND. PROVIDE SERVICES FOR BUSINESSES, APARTMENTS AND TOWNHOMES. HOWEVER, MILLAGE RATE REDUCTION WOULD APPLY TO THE WHOLE COMMUNITY, AND I WANT TO GO AHEAD AND BRING SOMETHING ELSE TO THE RECORD, BECAUSE IF AMENDMENT THREE DOES PASS BY, THE PLAN OF THE CITY RIGHT NOW IS TO GO AHEAD AND INCREASE THE GARBAGE RATE, THAT IS THE PLAN OF THE CITY. FROM MY AGENDA REVIEW. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT. SO YES, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GONE. BUT LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. INSTEAD OF DIGGING INTO THAT EXTRA PAYMENT TO THE PENSION AS I'M TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW, WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO IS INCREASE THE GARBAGE FEE. AGAIN, WHEN YOU ARE NOT HERE. I JUST WANT YOU TO PUT THAT INTO CONSIDERATION, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE TALKS THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING IN MY AGENDA REVIEW THROUGH THE MAYOR, IF I MAY, BEFORE I GOTTA ANSWER THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST WILD. AND I'VE HEARD SOME PRETTY WILD THINGS SINCE. SINCE SHE GOT HERE. BUT I MEAN, WILD. HAVE WE BEEN IN AN AGENDA REVIEW? AND I NEED TO HEAR MADAM ACM, MR. DCM. KELSEY, LAURA, WHOEVER'S HERE. BECAUSE WHOEVER'S IN MY WHOEVER'S IN THESE MEETINGS WITH ME. HAVE YOU TOLD ME THAT WE'RE RAISING THE GARBAGE? I'M MAYOR. WE HAVE NOT MADE THAT DECISION. NO. OKAY. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THAT DECISION IS MADE BY THE COMMISSION. IT'S NOT MADE BY MY STAFF. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT. PLEASE. CAROLINA, HOW MANY YEARS YOU'VE BEEN IN THE CITY? THROUGH THE MAYOR, IF I MAY, MR. MANAGER. NO, BECAUSE THIS IS THIS IS WILD. THIS IS JUST RAMPANT. JUST THROWING THINGS OUT THERE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN TO TRY TO SWAY SOMEBODY. THIS IS WILD, WILD. YOU KNOW, I HEAR SOME CRAZY THINGS THAT COME FROM THE RIGHT, BUT I JUST NEED TO PUT THIS ON THE RECORD. YOU'VE BEEN HERE. HOW MANY YEARS? 22. HAVE YOU EVER TOLD ME THAT WE'RE GOING TO RAISE THE GARBAGE FEE? THAT'S THE INTENT. IF AMENDMENT THREE PASSES. OKAY. I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT. SO AGAIN, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO IS, IN MY OPINION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CUT CAPITAL BECAUSE REMEMBER THE GARBAGE SUBSIDY IS 9 MILLION. WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO CUT CAPITAL, THE MAJOR, MAJOR ISSUE. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK AT WAYS TO BE EVEN MORE, [01:45:01] MORE EFFICIENT. AND WE HOPE THAT WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE NEW BLOWER SYSTEM THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET FOR THE GREEN MATTER, WHICH IS OUR WHICH IS A NEW SYSTEM THAT WE'RE INVESTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ON THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON SINCE 2017. ONCE THAT'S INSTITUTED, WE HOPE THAT WE WILL MAKE MONEY FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, AND WE WILL SAVE MONEY IN REGARDS TO THE TIPPING FEES THAT WE HAVE TO PAY IN THE COUNTY. SO WE'RE GOING TO FIND EFFICIENCIES. THAT'S WHY WE'RE INVESTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN PUTTING THIS SYSTEM IN 72ND AVENUE. BUT TO SAY THAT IS JUST SO DISINGENUOUS, SO DISINGENUOUS. THAT'S JUST NOT RIGHT. DON'T DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S A BAD LOOK. AND YOU HAVE THE ENTIRE STAFF HERE IN FRONT OF YOU WHO SITS IN A MEETING AND TELLS YOU VERY CLEARLY THAT THAT'S NEVER EVEN BEEN A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION. BY THE WAY, THE FINAL ARBITER OF THAT DECISION IS THIS COMMISSION. WHOEVER'S HERE NEXT YEAR WHEN WE HAVE TO MAKE THE DECISION. SO. YES, SIR. LET ME REPHRASE WHAT I SAID. WHAT I MEANT WAS THAT WE WOULD WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED RECOMMENDING, BECAUSE THE COMMISSION IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN MAKE THAT THAT CHOICE. WE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NOT DISCUSSED. WHETHER WE WOULD RECOMMEND ALL THAT GOES THAT THAT THAT THOSE MONIES COME OUT OF SANITATION. THAT HAS NOT BEEN THAT WE WILL NOT CONSIDER ANY OF THESE ISSUES. AND THERE'S SO MANY OTHER AREAS TO LOOK AT THAT THAT HAS NOT BEEN WE HAVE NOT MADE THE DECISION TO RECOMMEND THAT TO THE CITY COMMISSION. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, MR. MANAGER. THIS COMMISSION HAS HEARD IT BEFORE. THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE YOUR TRASH PITS AWAY. THEY SPREAD THAT RUMOR FOR TWO YEARS. THEY PRINTED IT. PEOPLE STOLE THEIR TRASH PITS. IT'S OPTIONAL. NOBODY TOOK YOUR TRASH PITS AWAY. EVEN WITH EVEN WITH A NEW COMMISSION. HAS THAT BEEN BROUGHT UP HERE? REMEMBER HOW MUCH THAT WAS USED AS A CAMPAIGN TOOL THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE? VINCE WAS GOING TO TAKE AWAY YOUR TRASH PITS. HAS THAT EVEN BEEN BROUGHT UP OR DISCUSSED? NO. IT'S ALWAYS THE THE THE RHETORIC RIGHT BEFORE AN ELECTION. SO, COMMISSIONER. YES, SIR. YEAH. SO WE JUST OH I'M SORRY. EXCUSE ME. COMMISSIONER, PLEASE GO AHEAD. I JUST WANTED TO SAY I WANT TO FIND A SOLUTION. AND AND BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ THAT I MAY SPEAK DIRECTLY. I AM NOT LACKING RESPECT, BUT I UNDERSTAND. AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS PARTICULAR VOTE, WE DO GET PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE FOLLOWING. IF WE MAINTAIN THE MILLAGE RATE AND WE PROVIDE THE RELIEF OF $75 PER HOUSEHOLD FOR THE GARBAGE, AND WE MAINTAIN BOTH THE GRANT FOR THE RESIDENT RELIEF AS WELL AS THE VETERAN RELIEF GRANTS, YOU WOULD HAVE MY SUPPORT THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES. SO I WILL WITHDRAW MY INITIAL MOTION AND MAKE A MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION TO. ISSUE $75. OH, I THINK SO. WE HAVE TO TAKE UP THE MILLAGE FIRST. RIGHT. AS A MATTER OF FORM, THE TRIM IS VERY SPECIFIC ON THE PROCEDURE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AT THESE MEETINGS. ALL RIGHT. SO THEN I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE MILLAGE. I'LL SECOND. SO CAN WE CLARIFY WHAT THAT MILLAGE RATE IS. FOR THE RECORD SINCE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF CONVERSATION. 5.5599 THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS TO READ IT BACK. OKAY. SO IT'S THE THE ORDINANCE HAS DRAFTED AND THEN I'LL MAKE A SEPARATE RESOLUTION. SO IT'S A TAX OF 5.5590 MILLS, WHICH IS A 6.94% INCREASE OVER THE ROLLBACK RATE OF 5.1982. CORRECT. SO IT WOULD BE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE ORDINANCE THAT'S ON TODAY'S AGENDA WITH THAT MILLAGE RATE. AS AS I JUST READ SECOND. OKAY. MR. CLARK, CAN WE HAVE A VOTE? COMMISSIONER CASTRO, I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED, BUT NO. COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ YES. COMMISSIONER LATTA YES. VICE MAYOR ANDERSON. YES. MAYOR LARGO. YES. ALL RIGHT. I'LL MAKE THE MOTION NOW ON A RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE A $75 CHECK TO THE RESIDENTS FOR AS A REFUND FOR THEIR GARBAGE FEE AND TO RENEW THE RESIDENT, THE SENIOR RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM AND THE SENIOR RELIEF GRANT PROGRAM. I WILL SECOND AND ALSO ASK IF I CAN JOIN IN IN THAT MOTION. OKAY, SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND I WOULD GO AHEAD. SORRY, I JUST WANT TO. THE SENIOR RELIEF GRANT FUND AND THE VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES GRANT FUND FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT. SO IF I COULD SO IF I COULD ASK THAT ALL OF THIS FUNDING COME FROM THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO AMEND THE 27 BUDGET, BUT WE WILL FIND THE FUNDS. WE'RE AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR NOW. WE WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY FUNDS FOR [01:50:01] ALL THREE FOR THE REFUND AND FOR THE, THE, THE THE SENIOR SENIOR RELIEF. YES. GRANT AND THE VETERANS WITH DISABILITIES GRANT. NOW, MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, ARE WE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WOULDN'T THAT BE AN AMENDMENT TO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WHICH WOULD TAKE A SECOND READING? NO, NO, NO, WE DID IT BY RESOLUTION PREVIOUSLY. OKAY. WE WOULD WE WOULD USE ALREADY APPROPRIATED FUNDS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS SAVINGS WITHIN THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. I WOULD AMEND IT TO REFLECT THAT IT WOULD BE OUT OF THE 2526 FISCAL YEAR. WE HAVE A MOTION A SECOND. OKAY. BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE. OKAY. THIS IS WHY KEEPING YOUR WORD IS IMPORTANT. THE MILLAGE RATE IS ALREADY PASSED. I COULD EASILY VOTE NO, BUT I GAVE MY WORD AND I'M GOING TO VOTE IN FAVOR. AND I WANT TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD, EVEN THOUGH NOW WE HAVE TO FIND 800 ZERO ZERO $0 AND FILL THIS HOLE, WHICH IS AGAIN, FOR OUR RESIDENTS. BUT COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ. SIR. YES, SIR. I GAVE YOU MY WORD. YOU GAVE ME YOUR WORD. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. I'M KEEPING MY WORD, MR. CLERK. CALL THE VOTE, COMMISSIONER. FERNANDEZ. YES, COMMISSIONER. YES. VICE MAYOR ANDERSON. YES. COMMISSIONER. CASTRO. YES, COMMISSIONER. I'M SORRY, MAYOR LARGO. YES. VERY MUCH. OKAY, I JUST WANTED I JUST WANTED TO I JUST WANTED TO ADD THAT THIS MONEY WILL BE COMING FROM WHAT WE ASSESSED FOR THE 2028 CIP FUNDING. SO WHATEVER WE REMOVE NOW WILL AFFECT 2028 CIP. I KNOW. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. WE'RE MOVING ON TO THE FOURTH AND [4. 26-2035 An Ordinance of the City Commission adopting the Annual Budget of Estimated Revenues and Expenditures for the Fiscal Year beginning October 1, 2026 and ending September 30, 2027; providing for the separability of the provisions hereof; and providing that this ordinance shall become effective October 1, 2026.] FINAL ITEM. SO WE HAVE I APOLOGIZE, WE HAVE TWO. SO SO THIS ITEM, MAYOR, IS AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE ANNUAL BUDGET OF ESTIMATED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027, PROVIDING FOR THE SEPARABILITY OF THE PROVISIONS HEREOF AND PROVIDING THAT THIS ORDINANCE SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1ST, 2026. WHEREAS, THE CITY MANAGER PREPARED AND ON JULY 1ST, 2026, SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSION A BUDGET ESTIMATE OF THE REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES OF ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, DIVISIONS, OFFICES AND PROPERTIES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026, AND COPIES OF SUCH ESTIMATES HAVE BEEN MADE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC VIEWING AT THE CORAL GABLES LIBRARY AND THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK. AND WHEREAS THE BUDGET ESTIMATES SUBMITTED TO THE COMMISSION ON JULY 1ST, 2026 IN THE AMOUNT OF $318,445,014 HAS BEEN REVISED BY THE CITY MANAGER TO INCLUDE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE INCREASES IN THE AMOUNT OF $114,864,216, BRINGING THE TOTAL BUDGET AMOUNT TO $433,309,230. AND WE'RE AT. AND THEN I'LL GO THROUGH SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION HERE THAT THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY OF ESTIMATED REVENUES AND EXPENDITURES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2027 IS HEREBY AGREED UPON AND ADOPTED, ALONG WITH THE SUPPORTING DATA RELATING THERETO ON FILE WITH THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES AS THE OFFICIAL 2026 2027 BUDGET OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES ESTIMATED. SORRY, MAYOR, THERE'S MORE. I HAVE TO READ IT. I KNOW, I KNOW, ESTIMATED REVENUES FROM ALL SOURCES, INCLUDING THE MILLAGE LEVIED UPON ALL TAXABLE, REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY WITH THE CITY. INITIAL OPERATING REVENUES $412,153,108. TOTAL TRANSFERS FROM RESERVES $21,156,122. TOTAL REVENUES $433,309,230. ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR ALL OPERATING DEPARTMENTS. CAPITAL AND DEBT SERVICE. TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE $254,082,086. CAPITAL PROJECTS $162,456,774. TOTAL DEBT SERVICE APPROPRIATION $13,564,436. TOTAL EXPENDITURES $433,309,230. THAT'S IT. MAY I HAVE A MOTION, MAYOR? YES. SO THE CURRENT BUDGET DOES NOT CONTEMPLATE THE CONVERSATION ON THE UNDERLYING. AND SO WE DO NEED TO DISCUSS. WE WILL NEED TO AMEND THIS BUDGET BEFORE WE ADOPT IT. DEPENDING ON WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THE UNDERLYING. WANT TO GET A MOTION AND A SECOND. YEP. CAN I HAVE A MOTION? MOVE IT. ALL RIGHT. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE UNDERLYING. ALL RIGHT. SO THE REQUEST IS $1 MILLION. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH THE OBVIOUSLY THE BACKGROUND STORY ENOUGH. I THINK WE'VE HAD A BACK AND FORTH FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS THAT HAS BEEN BEEN NEVER ENDING. I DON'T LIKE TO SEE OUR BACK AGAINST THE WALL. WE JUST EXPERIENCED THAT FOR THE LAST HOUR AND A HALF. NOT ONE OF MY [01:55:06] FAVORITE POSITIONS TO BE IN, BUT WE GOT TO FIGURE OUT AN ANSWER. I'M WILLING TO FUND. I WASN'T EXPECTING TO HAVE TO FUND ANOTHER $800,000. NOW I'M IN A POSITION WHERE I DON'T KNOW. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE IN THE ACCOUNT BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS NOT THE MONEY TREE. SO WHAT IS THE APPETITE OF THE COMMISSION? IS IT THE FULL MILLION? IS IT 500,000? IS IT 750? WHERE DO WE STAND? THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES, SIR. THIS HAS BEEN A PROJECT THAT YOU HAVE WORKED ON SINCE DAY ONE. AND I KNOW HOW HARD YOU WORK TO GET THE FUNDING FOR IT. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHERE YOU THINK WE SHOULD BE, BECAUSE I THINK YOU'VE BEEN AT THE TABLE MORE THAN ANY OF THE REST OF US. WHEN IT'S COME TO UNDERLYING AND THE UNDERLYING CONVERSATIONS. SO I WOULD SAY YOU'RE THE EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ISSUE. LISTEN, FOR ME, IT'S VERY SIMPLE. I, I, I WENT ALL IN TEN YEARS AGO ON THIS PROJECT. I UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF WHAT IT BRINGS TO THE CITY, WHAT IT BRINGS TO THE COMMUNITY IN REGARDS TO TAX REVENUE AND PROPERTY VALUES. I UNDERSTAND WHAT IT BRINGS IN REGARDS TO QUALITY OF LIFE. I'M ALSO BIASED. I LIVE A STONE'S THROW AWAY. AFTER THIS MEETING TONIGHT, I'M GOING TO PROBABLY GO WALK THE UNDERLINE WITH CIGAR. YOU CAN FIND ME THERE, OR WALK AT THE END OF THE LEVEL OF ANXIETY THAT I HAVE IN THIS IN THIS MEETING HERE. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A GREAT RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY. I THINK IT'S SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL. BUT I WAS NEVER UNDER ANY IMPRESSION THAT THAT WE WOULD BE HAVING TO PAY FOR MAINTENANCE AND OVERHEAD. THAT TO ME HAS COMPLETELY CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. BUT I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE POINT, AND I DON'T WANT TO RELITIGATE THAT BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S JUST IT JUST GIVES ME MORE. AS WE SAY IN CUBAN, I SEE THIS, YOU KNOW, SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE WHAT WE ARE. AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION. OBVIOUSLY, ONE YEAR IS THE ONLY YEAR I WILL FUND. I WILL NOT PUT THE CITY IN A POSITION WHERE, AGAIN, IT ENCUMBERS THE CITY, THE FUTURE LEADERS OF THIS COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, I WOULD LOVE TO GIVE THEM $1 MILLION. BUT AS YOU SAW AND I WANT TO PUT ON THE RECORD THE MONEY THAT WE JUST ASSIGNED FOR GARBAGE REDUCTIONS AND FOR AND FOR THOSE TWO GRANTS, WHICH I THINK ARE VERY MEANINGFUL, ARE GOING TO COME OUT OF WHERE, MR. MANAGER, 2028 CIP 2028 CIP. SO IF THERE'S ANY MONEY'S GOT TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE. SO WHAT THE DECISION WE MAKE TODAY, MONEY'S GOT THEN YOU GOT TO CALL OUR FRIENDS ON THE FLAGLER STATION AND SAY YOU'RE CUTTING THEIR PARK. DO YOU CALL AND, YOU KNOW, CALL OUR FRIENDS IN THE DOWNTOWN WHO SO SORELY NEED PARKS AND SAY, HEY, LISTEN, WE GOT TO TAKE SOME MONEY AWAY FROM CIRCLE PARK. WE GOT TO MAKE CALLS. YOU KNOW, WE GOT TO HAVE TO FACE THIS. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE FROM THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY BECAUSE GOD WILLING, THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT WILL BE HERE WILL HAVE $26 MILLION A YEAR TO REALLY EFFECTUATE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY. I'M THINKING FOR THE FUTURE, I'M BELT TIGHTENING FOR THE FUTURE, NOT FOR TODAY. SO I'M LOOKING AT AT A, AT A, AT A, AT A, OBVIOUSLY AT A MINIMUM OF $500,000 IS WHAT I'M WILLING IS WHAT I'M WILLING TO FUND THIS YEAR. I THINK THAT IT'S A ROUND NUMBER. WHAT I LOVE TO PUT $1 MILLION. YES. BUT I THINK THAT I THINK IT'S. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE. I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE THE MONEY. WE JUST SPENT $800,000. AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT MORE ENCUMBRANCE ON, ON THE CITY. JUST IT PAINS ME TO DO THAT, BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SAFETY AND THE MAINTENANCE THAT. THIS PROJECT IS A SUCCESS, THAT IT. IT'S NOT THAT IT'S REFLECTIVE OF WHO WE ARE AS A CITY. BEAUTIFUL. WHAT I MEAN BY THAT? HE TALKED TO THE CHIEF BEFORE ANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU SEE ON THE COMMISSION SAID, FOR MYSELF, I WAS HERE. I SPONSORED THE LEGISLATION TO ADD ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICERS TO THE DOWNTOWN. THE MANAGER AND I AND THE CHIEF WORKED ON THAT. WE KNEW THAT IT WOULD COST MONEY. WE PLANNED FOR IT. WE DID THE NECESSARY WORK FOR YEARS TO IT, TO THE COMMISSION, AND NOW WE HAVE A POLICE FORCE DEDICATED TO THE DOWNTOWN. WE'RE NO LONGER ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL, BUT THAT WAS METHODICAL. THIS IS NOT METHODICAL. THIS IS SHOOTING FROM THE HIP. WE NEED MONEY, AND THAT'S NOT PROPER PLANNING. AND THAT'S WHAT SEPARATES US FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. AND THAT'S WHY IT TAKES SO MUCH PRIDE IN THE INDIVIDUALS HERE WHO ARE HERE FROM THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. WE'RE VERY CAREFUL HOW WE SPEND OUR MONEY BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY WE WERE BEFORE AND THAT'S HOW WE ENDED UP IN THIS MESS. BUT WE'RE PAYING 30 PLUS MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FOR OUR UNFUNDED LIABILITY. SO WHEN YOU ASK ME, COMMISSIONER, ABOUT WHAT I WOULD DO, TRUST ME, I'VE STUDIED THIS PROJECT. I KNOW THIS PROJECT AT THE BACK OF MY HAND, OKAY. I WROTE THE LEGISLATION TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT WE GOT OUR BACK AGAINST THE WALL. AND EITHER WE'RE GOING TO FUND THIS PROJECT TO WHAT IT DESERVES, OR WE'RE GOING TO SIT BACK AND LET [02:00:05] THE COUNTY FUND IT TO WHAT THEY THINK THEY DESERVE. AND I DON'T WANT TO BE. AND THAT'S WHY I WILL NEVER PUT A FIVE YEAR, TWO YEAR OR THREE YEAR WINDOW UP, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT TO THE CITY. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SIT AT THE TABLE. NOW THEY'VE COME TO US. WE'VE HAD NEGOTIATIONS. MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE ACM, AFTER HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH HER THAT THEY HAD AN EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE MEETING AND THEY WERE ABLE TO COME TO AN ACCORD IN REGARDS TO GETTING US A SEAT AT THE TABLE. THEY HAVE MET ALL OUR ALL OUR ALL OUR DEMANDS, ALL OUR REQUESTS, WHICH I THINK IS MORE APPROPRIATE, MORE RESPECTFUL. NOW IT'S ALSO ABOUT FINANCE. SO TO ME, I THINK $1 MILLION IS A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT OF MONEY. I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THAT NUMBER. COMMISSIONER. SO THIS IS THE NATURAL CONSEQUENCE OF WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING DURING THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION REGARDING THE BUDGET MEETING, WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO KEEP THE MILLAGE RATE OR FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF A ROLLBACK RATE. SO RELUCTANTLY AND SOMEWHAT STRONG ARMED, I TOOK UP THE OFFER THE COMMISSIONER FERNANDES PUT ON THE TABLE FOR THE GREATER GOOD. I DID NOT COME INTO THIS BUDGET MEETING THINKING WE WERE GOING TO BE HAVING TO TAKE ANOTHER $800,000 HIT. FOLLOWING WHAT HAPPENED EARLIER TODAY. THE DISCUSSION REGARDING $1 MILLION HIT THAT WASN'T IN THE CARDS, AND I'VE SPOKEN TO TWO. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MEETINGS. THAT WAS NEVER SOMETHING THAT WAS MENTIONED. SO THE CONSEQUENCES ARE, IF I HAD TO GIVE UP $800,000 TO PROTECT THE MILLAGE RATE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR MORE CATASTROPHIC IF THAT WOULD HAVE GONE TO A ROLLBACK RATE, THEN I CAN SEE FUNDING $200,000 TO THE MAYOR AND VICE MAYOR. A NUMBER OF CALLS I'VE RECEIVED, AND I'VE HEARD THAT OTHERS HERE HAVE RECEIVED, AND THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN IN FAVOR OF THE UNDERLYING. IF YOU HAD ASKED THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE RESIDENTS OF CORAL GABLES, YOU WANT A REDUCTION, FURTHER REDUCTION IN YOUR GARBAGE FEE, OR DO YOU WANT THE UNDERLYING FUNDED? I THINK THE ANSWER WOULD HAVE RUNG COMPLETELY THROUGH THAT. EVERYBODY WANTS THE UNDERLYING FUNDED, AND YOU CAN KEEP THE MONEY FOR THE $75 PLUS. YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THE WORK NOW TAKES FOR STAFF TO DO THAT. THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE ACTIONS, THOUGH, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE CONSEQUENCES. PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY OR NICKEL DIMING BACK AND FORTH ON GARBAGE FEES, AS OPPOSED TO MAKING SURE THAT AN ASSET THAT IS A GEM IN OUR COMMUNITY IS TAKEN CARE OF. NOW, GOING FORWARD, WE CAN HAVE SOME VERY PRODUCTIVE NEGOTIATIONS AND MEETINGS WITH COUNTY TO ADDRESS HOW WE CAN UTILIZE IMPACT FEES IN THE FUTURE, PARK IMPACT FEES, BECAUSE AT A CERTAIN POINT, WE'LL HAVE ENOUGH PARKS BUILT THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE HANDCUFFED BY THE COUNTY'S RULES, THAT WE CAN'T USE THOSE TO MAINTAIN PARKS. AND THAT COULD BE THE FUTURE FOR FUNDING MAINTENANCE OF ALL OUR PARKS, AND WILL GIVE SOME RELIEF TO THE GENERAL FUND. BUT WE'RE NOT THERE. AND THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR ONE'S ACTIONS. AND THIS IS A HUGE CONSEQUENCE THAT'S GOING TO DISAPPOINT A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR CITY. THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, YOU DID WHAT? YOU CAN KEEP THAT CHECK, PUT IT TOWARDS THE UNDERLYING. THAT'S WHAT I'M HEARING. SO WHAT'S THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION THROUGH THE MAYOR? YES. PROVIDING RELIEF TO RESIDENTS IS NOT A CONSEQUENCE. IT IS A DECISION TO DO THE RIGHT THING. AND THE UNDERLYING FUNDING IS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2627. EVERYTHING THAT WE JUST APPROVED IS THAT OF THE 2526 BUDGET. SO, YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT BEING CLEAR WITH PEOPLE. LET'S BE CLEAR ON THE FACTS. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT APPROVING THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2627. WE JUST VOTED ON PROVIDING RELIEF FROM THE 2025 2026 BUDGET. NOW, IT'S VERY EASY TO START, YOU KNOW, SAYING, OH, THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT. WE'RE GOING TO BLAME YOU FOR THIS. THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT. AND I CAN ASSURE YOU, THERE ARE MANY RESIDENTS WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE UNDERLYING IS. BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD, MOST PEOPLE HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE UNDERLYING IN NORTH GABLES. SO TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY WANTS THE MONEY TO GO TO UNDERLYING. [02:05:01] THAT'S NOT TRUE. I MEAN, AGAIN, I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH RESIDENTS WHO BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROVIDED. WE SHOULD HAVE GONE WITH THE ROLLBACK RATE BECAUSE THEY SHOULDN'T BE PAYING MORE IN TAXES. WE LIVE IN A COMMUNITY THAT'S VERY DIVERSE IN THEIR IDEAS, BUT WE CAN'T SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY NOW BECAUSE WE JUST GAVE RELIEF TO RESIDENTS FROM THE 2526 FISCAL YEAR. WE ARE NOW APPROVING THE 2627 BUDGET. SO LET'S NOT MIX APPLES AND ORANGES. THEY'RE TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS. SO JUST TO CLARIFY YOUR COMMENTS, MR. MANAGER, LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN. THE $800,000 THAT WE JUST APPROVED, WHICH IS THE TWO GRANTS AND THE REDUCTION IN GARBAGE, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GET THE MONEY TO FUND THAT? THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THE MONIES THAT WE WOULD APPROPRIATE FOR THE 2028 CIP, AT WHICH TIME WE MAY HAVE A $15.4 MILLION REDUCTION. IF THIS REFERENDUM PASSES. LET ME LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE EXAMPLE. SO YOU UNDERSTAND. OKAY. AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, PLEASE. I'VE BEEN HERE JUST AS LONG AS I HAVE. HAVE WE EVER GONE IN THE FUTURE LIKE THIS TO GET MONEY THAT WE PLANNED? BUT HAVE WE EVER SAID TAKING MONEY THAT WE'RE GOING TO SPEND NOW FOR RELIEF AND GONE INTO THE FUTURE AND SAID WE'RE GOING TO USE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS? I DON'T REMEMBER DOING THAT EVER CUTTING CAPITAL WE'RE GETTING WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT MONEY FROM CAPITOL IN 2028. THESE ARE MONIES THAT WE EVERY TWO YEARS GO, GO, GO INTO CAPITAL. AND IT'S MONEY THAT WE, THE, THAT WE USE QUITE, QUITE EFFECTIVELY. SO THIS WOULD THIS WOULD CUT OUT 800, $850,000 FROM CIP CAPITAL IN 2028. AND WE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE A $15.4 MILLION REDUCTION IF AT THAT TIME IN IN 28, IF IF IN. WELL, IT WOULD BE IT WOULD BE SEVEN, SEVEN, $7.7 MILLION IN 28 AND, AND $15.4 MILLION IN 29, WHICH MEANS THAT THIS IS A IT WOULD IT WOULD CERTAINLY BE AT A AT THE MOST INAPPROPRIATE TIME. BUT I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN, AND I KNOW THAT PAUL DOESN'T EXPLAIN IT BETTER THAN I WOULD, BUT I'LL DO IT ANYWAYS. I'LL TRY MY BEST. OKAY. WHAT I'M TRYING TO EXPLAIN IS WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY RIGHT NOW IN CASH. CORRECT. WE HAVE THE MONEY TODAY IN CASH TO PAY THE $800,000 HOLE THAT WE'RE ABOUT TO MAKE. NO. SO THE SO THE $800,000 WOULD COME FROM ANY SURPLUS AT THE END OF FISCAL YEAR OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. SO IN TWO DAYS, THE FISCAL YEAR ENDS, WE ARE GOING TO BALANCE OUR BOOKS AND AND SEE THAT WE COLLECTED MORE REVENUE THAN EXPENDITURE. WE HAVE VACANCIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO WE'LL HAVE A SURPLUS. AND I'M JUST GOING TO DUMB IT DOWN FOR THE AUDIENCE BECAUSE YOU ALL HEAR THIS REGULARLY, RIGHT? SO FOR THE AUDIENCE'S PURPOSES, WE TAKE THOSE SAVINGS THAT WE THAT ARE AUDITED IN DECEMBER, AND WE USE THOSE TO FUND CAPITAL. SO ONE TIME FUNDING THAT GOES TO CAPITAL EACH YEAR, SOME IF WE HAVE SUFFICIENT, WE BREAK IT UP BETWEEN CAPITAL AND NEW NEEDS. MANY OF THE POLICE AND FIRE ITEMS GET FUNDED WITH ONE TIME FUNDING IN FUTURE YEARS. AND SO THAT IS MONEY THAT WHEN WE HAVE SURPLUS, WE WILL TAKE IT AND USE IT FOR THE NEXT BUDGET PLANNING TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO FUND CAPITAL PROJECTS. SO LET ME LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHY I SAID THAT. JUST SO YOU UNDERSTAND, COMMISSIONER, BECAUSE I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE MANAGER AND THE MANAGER TOLD ME, VINCE, WE'RE SCRAPING THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. THAT IS CORRECT. YOU TOLD ME THAT IN IN FUNDS WHERE WE GET MONEY LIKE GAS TAX REVENUE, THAT THEY'RE DOWN, THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING. CORRECT. TELL ME IF I'M WRONG. I MEAN, YES, SALES, SALES TAX AND TAX REVENUE OVERALL HAS REDUCED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. I'M SURE YOU CAN ALL SEE IT IN THE ECONOMY. SO MY POINT IS THAT THERE'S NOT THIS OVERABUNDANCE OF MONEY. AND NOW WE'RE WAITING FOR THIS MONEY TO COME IN. SO HOPEFULLY SO THERE'S A SURPLUS SO THAT WE CAN GET THAT $800,000. WHAT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE $800,000? WHAT DO WE DO IN THIS YEAR? I'M CONFIDENT OTHERWISE I WOULDN'T HAVE COMMITTED TO IT. BUT IN OTHER YEARS WE WILL FUND LESS ITEMS. WE WON'T BE ABLE TO FUND CAPITAL. AND THAT HAS BEEN THE CASE IN MANY YEARS. IN COVID, WE WE DID NOT HAVE SURPLUSES AT THE SAME LEVELS THAT WE HAVE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND WE HAD TO SLOW DOWN FUNDING FOR CAPITAL AND FOR MANY OTHER DECISIONS. BUT I WOULD REQUEST FROM YOU, PLEASE, SINCE YOU DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS NOW, PLEASE PROVIDE US WITH A MEMO THROUGH THE MANAGER IN REGARDS TO WHAT THE SURPLUSES ARE, SO I CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE VOTED ON, OBVIOUSLY, AND, AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT $800,000 THAT WE VOTED ON THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES, WE HAVE VERY LOW SURPLUSES THIS YEAR BECAUSE OF OF ALL THE COST INCREASES THAT WE'VE HAD. SO, SO THIS WOULD, WOULD, WOULD PROBABLY BE A MAJOR, A MAJOR HIT TO 2028 CIP BECAUSE THESE SURPLUSES, SOMETIMES IT'S A COUPLE OF MILLION DOLLARS. SOMETIMES IT'S IT'S BETWEEN IT COULD BE UP TO [02:10:05] 2.7, $2.8 MILLION THIS YEAR. WE ARE WE ARE LOW. SO THIS IS WHAT WE NORMALLY DO AT THE END OF THE YEAR IS TRANSFERRED TO THE FOLLOWING FISCAL YEAR. ROLL IT. WE ROLL IT TO 28. RIGHT. AND THIS IS WE'VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT THIS AS A AS A, AS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INCOME FOR CIP. OKAY. SO WE HAVE FROM COMMISSIONER LATA, HE SAID 200 000. ANY OTHER COLLEAGUES, ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD WHAT THEY. WOULD YOU WANT A MILLION. I KNOW YOU DO, BUT I'M JUST SAYING BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE YOU'RE HERE FOR THE VOTES. SO I MEAN, MY, MY, I'M NOT DONE YET. SO MY POINT IS THAT WE NEED WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT A NUMBER HERE SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET SOMETHING VOTED ON AND NOT BE GOING BACK AND FORTH. YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S POLITICAL SEASON, BUT LET'S BE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE ENOUGH TODAY. AND BUT WE NEED TO SUPPORT THE UNDERLYING. BUT ONCE YOU AGREE ON A NUMBER, THEN WE'LL AGREE WHERE IT'S COMING FROM. YES. WELL, WE'RE GOING TO CUT FROM GUYS WE'RE CUTTING. REMEMBER, WE'RE CUTTING FROM PROJECTS OR WE'RE TAKING IT FROM THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY OR WE'RE TAKING IT NOT FROM RESERVES. THANK GOD THAT REFERENDUM PASSED. SO WHAT IS THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION FOR THE MAYOR, MADAM VICE MAYOR? OH, I MEAN, FOR SOME FOLKS AND THIS IS NOT FOR THE FOLKS HERE IN THE ROOM. WE SAY WE'RE CUTTING CAPITAL IN FUTURE YEARS. THAT MEANS YOUR SIDEWALK PROJECTS, YOUR PARK PROJECTS, ALL THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE FUNDED BY CAPITAL, THAT MONIES THAT ARE SAVED IN PRIOR YEARS. SO DON'T LOOK FOR THAT IN 2028 IS REALLY THE MESSAGE. BECAUSE IF YOU'RE WONDERING WHY, YOU KNOW, YOUR SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN SLOWING DOWN, THAT'S WHY YOU'RE WONDERING WHY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T PATCH THE ROADS. IT'S BECAUSE THE MONEY'S NOT THERE, SO IT DOESN'T GROW ON TREES. WE HAVE TO SAVE IT. WE HAVE TO BUDGET IT. COMMISSIONER CASTRO, TELL ME. WHEN YOU SAY THE SIDEWALKS HAVE BEEN GOING DOWN, AND THEN WE KEEP ON PUTTING OUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE EXTRA PAYMENT, EXTRA PAYMENTS TO THE PENSION. SO LET ME CLARIFY. WE ARE PAYING OUR DUES. WHAT IS DUE TO THE PENSION? AND WE ARE PUTTING AN EXTRA 9 MILLION OR MORE INTO AS AN EXTRA PAYMENT TO THE PENSION. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME. ONCE AGAIN, I BELIEVE WE CAN GO AHEAD AND FUND THE UNDERLYING, ESPECIALLY WITH HOW, WITH THE AMOUNT OF OUTREACH THAT I HAVE RECEIVED FROM THE PEOPLE SURROUNDING THERE, THE CRAFT SECTION AND IN SOUTH GABLES, I'M GOING TO GO FOR THE MILLION. OKAY, PERFECT. WHAT'S THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION? SO THROUGH THE MAYOR, YES, THE CLARIFICATION NEEDED TO BE CLARIFIED. I THINK THE $800,000 IS IN THE CITY'S COFFERS RIGHT NOW. IT'S ABOUT BALANCING OUR ACCOUNTS AND FIGURING OUT HOW MUCH WE HAVE AS AN EXTRA BALANCE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR, THAT MONEY IS NOT COMING FROM 2028. IT IS COMING FROM MONEY THAT IF IN OUR CITY, COFFERS WOULD GO TOWARDS 2028 PROJECTS. INSTEAD, WE HAVE DECIDED TO ALLEVIATE THE IMPACT ON OUR RESIDENTS BY PROVIDING THIS RELIEF NOW. YOU SAID THAT THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPTIONS DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT WHERE THE MONEY WOULD COME FROM. CORRECT. SO THERE'S WELL. ON THE BREAK, THE MANAGER AND I HAVE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE A HAVE APPROVED FUNDING TO THE UNDERLYING AND THAT WE WOULD BE DISCUSSING THAT HERE. WE HAVE SUGGESTIONS, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID, ANYTHING THAT WE FUND TOWARDS THE UNDERLYING HAS TO BE REDUCED FROM SOMETHING THAT WE ARE ALREADY FUNDING IN THE BUDGET. AND SO UNLESS WE ARE GOING TO ELIMINATE SOME SERVICE THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY A DOLLAR AMOUNT, NOT REALLY POSSIBLE AT THIS MEETING. WE WOULD HAVE TO ELIMINATE IT FROM CAPITAL OR THE EXTRA PAYMENT TO THE PENSION. THAT IS THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION AS TO WHERE YOU WOULD PREFER THAT COME FROM. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT HAS TO BE A REDUCTION OF ONE OF THOSE AREAS. WE HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS OF WHICH PROJECTS. IF IT'S THE EXTRA PAYMENT, THAT'S EASY. IT'S THE EXTRA PAYMENT. NOT THAT IT'S NOT THAT THE IMPACT IS EASY, BUT THE CALCULATION IS EASY. IF IT'S CAPITAL, THEN IT WOULD COME FROM A A PROJECT THAT'S FUNDED WITH RECURRING CAPITAL, NOT WITH ONE TIME FUNDING. BECAUSE ALTHOUGH WE ARE GOING TO LOOK FOR OTHER MECHANISMS TO FUND THIS, IT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE A RECURRING IMPACT TO THE CITY. SO WE WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT. SO THERE'S NOT MANY OPTIONS WHEN WE GET INTO [02:15:05] RECURRING CAPITAL. SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION, HOW MUCH YOU WANT. AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT HOW WE SLICE IT UP, OR IF IT COMES FROM ONE PLACE TO THE MAYOR. YES. SO IF IT'S $1 MILLION, WHAT CAPITAL PROJECTS ARE AVAILABLE WITH THE RECURRING CAPITAL? SO I CAN PRESENT TO YOU A QUICK SLIDE THAT THE MANAGER AND I WORKED ON BEFORE THIS MEETING. AND SO LET'S BE CLEAR, NONE OF THIS IS NECESSARILY PALATABLE. WE'VE GONE THROUGH A LONG BUDGET PROCESS. ALL OF THESE ARE ITEMS THAT WERE PRIORITIZED BY YOU, THAT WERE PRIORITIZED BY STAFF. SO IF WE GET TO $1 MILLION, WHAT WE RECOMMEND IS TAKING 400,000 OUT OF WHAT WE'RE FUNDING TO CITY HALL. THAT WOULD COME OUT OF CONTINGENCY THAT WE'RE FUNDING EVERY PROJECT. WE'LL NEED CONTINGENCY. BUT THAT WAS AN AREA WHERE WE COULD TAKE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT FROM THE INSTALLATION OF CLOSED CIRCUIT TELEVISION CAMERAS. SO WE ARE FUNDING 250 000. WE RECOMMEND REDUCING THAT BY 100,000 NEW SIDEWALK INSTALLATIONS. WE ARE FUNDING 698,000. WE RECOMMEND REDUCING THAT BY 50,000 SIDEWALK EXTENSIONS AND CROSSWALKS. WE ARE FUNDING 250,000. WE WOULD RECOMMEND REDUCING IT BY 50,000. CITYWIDE RESURFACING PROGRAM. WE'RE FUNDING $1 MILLION. WE RECOMMEND $200,000 REDUCTION AND CITYWIDE TRAFFIC CALMING. WE'RE FUNDING JUST OVER $1.1 MILLION, AND WE WOULD RECOMMEND 200,000. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT RIGHT. SO THE BUDGET THAT WE PROPOSED WAS DISCUSSED. THOSE ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE COMMISSION, BASED ON THE AVAILABLE FUNDING THAT WE HAD AT THE TIME TO FUND THESE PROJECTS. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT PROJECTS, BUT THESE ARE PROJECTS THAT HAVE RECURRING FUNDS. THERE ARE THERE ARE OTHER PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED TO, AND WE THOUGHT THAT THESE WOULD BE THE LEAST IMPACTFUL OF THE IMPACTFUL REDUCTIONS TO CAPITAL. SO THOSE ARE PRETTY IMPACTFUL. THOSE ARE PROJECTS THAT WE HEAR FROM EVERY DAY FROM RESIDENTS WHO CALL US. AND THESE ARE THE TYPE OF DECISIONS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE. SO YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED ME IF YOU HAD ASKED A RESIDENT, DO YOU WANT DO YOU WANT US TO TAKE AWAY FROM THESE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS? I DON'T I DON'T THINK RESIDENTS WOULD WANT THAT. AND I'M WALKING DOOR TO DOOR AND I'M MEETING WITH PEOPLE AND PEOPLE WANT SERVICES AND PEOPLE WANT UPGRADES. PEOPLE ASK ME FOR SIDEWALKS EVERY DAY. ONE OF THE SIDEWALKS COMING ON GRANADA, ONE OF THE SIDEWALKS COMING IN WITH CABLES THAT ARE MISSING. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO GET SIDEWALKS LIKE UNIVERSITY DID I GET I GET CALLS ALL THE TIME ABOUT BLUE ROAD. YOU DID SUCH A GOOD JOB CONNECTING THE BRIDGES THAT TOOK FOUR YEARS. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO FINISH AND GO ALL THE WAY DOWN BLUE ROAD? IT'S UNSAFE. WHEN ARE WE GOING TO FINISH THE SIDEWALKS OUT ON HAMBRO? WHEN ARE WE GOING TO CROSS ALHAMBRA AND CONNECT ALL THE WAY TO THE BRIDGE EVERY DAY? IT'S NEVER ENOUGH. I THINK THE LAST TIME THE NUMBER WAS CHECKED WAS ABOUT A $20 MILLION BILL, WAS WHAT WE NEEDED IN REGARDS TO TO COMPLETE ALL OUR SIDEWALKS. AND IT'S ONLY GETTING MORE EXPENSIVE AS CONCRETE GETS MORE EXPENSIVE AND THE LABOR TO PRODUCE IT GETS MORE EXPENSIVE. SO AGAIN, CUTTING AND CUTTING AND CUTTING AND CUTTING, YOU KNOW, I'M A PROPONENT OF THE UNDERLYING AND WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO CUT CITYWIDE TRAFFIC CALMING. WE HAVE ONE COMMISSIONER HERE TO MY RIGHT MENTIONED THAT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WANT TRAFFIC CALMING. I WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE. THAT'S WHY I PASSED THE LEGISLATION TO BRING IN TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CALMING WHILE PEOPLE WAIT. THEY AT LEAST HAVE. WE BOUGHT $400,000 WORTH OF TEMPORARY TRAFFIC CALMING THOSE BLACK ONES THAT ARE NOT AS PRETTY OBVIOUSLY AS THE PERMANENT ONES, BUT AT LEAST IT BRINGS SOME SORT OF RELIEF. BUT HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THESE ARE OPTIONS TO CUT MONEY FROM RESURFACING. I'M TALKING ABOUT POTHOLES. SO IT'S PRETTY HERE'S YOUR MILLION DOLLARS. IS THAT THE WILL OF THE COMMISSION? YOU WANT 500. YOU WANT 750,000. THE MAYOR, IF WE HAD NOT VOTED FOR THE 800,000 BEFORE, WHICH IS A DONE DEAL BECAUSE I KEPT MY WORD, I DON'T I'M I DON'T GO BACK AND RETRADE WHEN I GET MY WORD. OKAY? I DON'T SAY I'M GOING TO VOTE FOR TWO GRANT PROGRAMS. AND THEN ONCE THAT THAT PASSES, I COME BACK HERE AND I SAY, NO, NO, NO, I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THAT TO GET MY WAY. THAT'S JUST THAT'S NOT WHAT, WHAT I WOULD EVER DO. BUT RIGHT HERE, WE GOT ANOTHER SITUATION. LET ME ASK YOU A QUICK QUESTION. IF I HAD THAT $800,000 RIGHT NOW, COULD I USE THAT $800,000 TO FUND THE UNDERLYING. TECHNICALLY WE COULD. OKAY. OUR RECOMMENDATION WOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE TO USE THAT MONEY FOR THE UNDERLYING. BECAUSE WE CONSIDER AND REMEMBER, I GET IT, BUDGET PRUDENT PLANNING LONG TERM, I [02:20:04] GET IT. BUT THIS IS A ONE TIME ONE YEAR. THE CONTRACT IS FOR ONE YEAR. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS COMMISSION HAS THE FLEXIBILITY IN A YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING INTO FOR 28, WHICH IS WHEN THE NEXT NEGOTIATION FOR THE UNDERLYING WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY OF FUNDING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION OF HOW MUCH YOU WANT TO FUND THE UNDERLYING IF YOU DO IT, IF WE HAVE TO AT ALL. BUT MY POINT IS, IF I HAD THE $800,000 HERE, I COULD LEGALLY USE IT ONE TIME TO FUND MY REQUIREMENT FOR THE OTHER LINE. CORRECT? YOU TECHNICALLY COULD. YES, SIR. ANSWER IS YES, MAYOR. WITHIN. IT'S WITHIN ALL THE LEGAL. TAKE AWAY ALL MY PREFACES. YES, YOU WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE LAW. IT'S MONEY THAT IS HERE AND WE CAN USE IT RIGHT NOW A LEGITIMATE USE. YES. OKAY. BECAUSE I KNOW THE THE BLOGS ARE NOT GOING TO PRINT THAT. THEY'RE GOING TO PRINT SOMETHING ELSE. THE MAYOR. YES, SIR. GO AHEAD. SO YOU PREPARED THIS PRESENTATION BEFORE 5:00 AFTER YOUR DISCUSSION AT COMMISSION EARLIER, WHERE YOU SAID WHERE YOU SAID YOU WOULD BE FUNDING A MILLION. AND BETWEEN THE 501. SO. AND DURING THAT TIME, THE $800,000 WASN'T IN THIS PRESENTATION. JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE $800,000 THAT WE JUST APPROVED FOR RESIDENT RELIEF WAS NOT THE OPTION THAT YOU WERE PRESENTING TO US. WE WERE NOT PRESENTING TAKING IT FROM ONE TIME MONEY, BUT THAT WOULD NOT. BUT THIS WOULD JUST FUND. SO YES, I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, BUT WE'RE NOT CONTEMPLATING A CUT TO OUR SURPLUS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I MEAN, AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT IT'S MONEY IN THE COFFERS THAT WE HAVE TO USE FOR THE MAYOR. I WOULD NOT. THE WHOLE POINT IS TO NOT CUT CAPITAL. THE WHOLE POINT IS TO NOT TAKE MONEY FROM THE ADDITIONAL PAYMENT, FIND THE MONEY, FIND THE MONEY. BY THE WAY, ASK THE MANAGER. I MET WITH HIM MULTIPLE TIMES AND SAID, DO YOU HAVE ANY MONEY LEFT OVER? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WAS NOT FUNDED? IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAME IN A LITTLE HIGHER, A LITTLE EXTRA, YOU KNOW, FEE, A TAX THAT IS NOT ENCUMBERED, FOR EXAMPLE, LIKE OUR PERMITS WHERE THAT MONEY CAN'T BE USED FOR THIS? DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING? HE GOES, VINCE, WE'RE SCRAPING THE BARREL RIGHT NOW LOOKING FOR MONEY TO FUND THIS PROJECT. NOBODY IN THIS COMMISSION EXPECTED WHAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH RIGHT NOW. NOBODY. SO YOU ALSO HAD ONLY YOU HAD NOT DECIDED THAT THIS WOULD BE A ONE YEAR CONTRACT AT THE TIME. SO HAD THIS BEEN A RECURRING CONTRACT, WE I'VE STILL FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THE RECURRING PIECE, BUT HAD IT BEEN A RECURRING CONTRACT, YOU WOULD HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT I WOULD HAVE INSISTED RECURRING. YES, YES. THIS WAS THE DISCUSSION THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE FOR FUNDING. AND SO. SO WE COULD HAVE USED THAT MONEY. YES. THIS IS THIS IS A DISCUSSION. WE WE WERE NOT EXPECTING A REDUCTION IN $800,000. SO, SO SO THIS, THIS FUNDING DISCUSSION THAT THAT BECAME A MOOT POINT. THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES. I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY BECAUSE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH. FORMER VICE MAYOR KERDYK. WAS HE VICE MAYOR? YES. YEAH. AND. HE SAID, YOU KNOW, I WHEN TIMES WERE TIGHT, YOU KNOW, AND BUDGETS WERE TIGHT, I HAD PASSED THE RESOLUTION TO ACQUIRE RESIDENTS TO REPLACE SIDEWALKS, INCLUDING SIDEWALKS THAT WERE DAMAGED BY CITY TREES. SLOWLY BUT SURELY, WE'VE EXPANDED WHAT THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. AND NOW WE TAKE CARE OF. WE, THE CITY, TAKE CARE OF TREE DAMAGED SIDEWALKS. GOOD POINT. I COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THAT. A VERY GOOD POINT. WE CHANGED THAT LAW. AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU, MADAM VICE MAYOR. I'M SO HAPPY YOU BROUGHT THAT UP. GREAT POINT. YOU KNOW, AND THE REALITY IS IT'S MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE FOR THE RESIDENTS TO CALL OUT SOMEBODY TO POUR A NEW SIDEWALK OR POUR A FLAG OF A SIDEWALK THAT THEY MAY HAVE DAMAGED. SO I'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MANAGER THAT INSTEAD OF US REQUIRING THEM TO INSTALL IT, TO GIVE RESIDENTS ALSO THE OPTION TO PAY THE CITY, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, JUST THE STAGING COST OF BRINGING OUT THE CEMENT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE BRINGING OUT ONE FLAG OF CEMENT IN A CEMENT TRUCK, THE COLOR PINK. IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE TO ORDER THIS PINK CORAL TYPE COLOR. IT'S MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS COSTLY TO DO IT ON A LARGER SCALE WITH ANOTHER JOB THAT'S BEING POURED SOMEWHERE. BY THE SAME TOKEN, THE SAME SIDEWALK CLEANING OPTION THAT THE MAYOR HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR THE STOREFRONTS. IT'S MUCH MORE EFFICIENT TO DO IT ON A MASS SCALE, AS OPPOSED TO DOING IT ON ONE STOREFRONT AT A TIME. SO THE NUMBER OF LAWSUITS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST FOR [02:25:06] PEOPLE TRIPPING ON SIDEWALKS, THE NUMBER OF EMAILS THAT I'VE RECEIVED AND I'VE COPIED DEPUTY CITY MANAGER ON WITH RESIDENTS THAT HAVE EVEN A TEMPORARY SPEED, TABLES THAT WANT THE FINISHED SPEED TABLES PUT IN ARE ASTOUNDING AND TAKE UP AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TIME THAT WE HAVE EVERY SINGLE DAY. THERE IS A STATEMENT. IT'S CALLED PENNY WISE AND POUND FOOLISH. OKAY, THERE IS MEANING TO IT. IT MIGHT BE PENNY WISE. THE SAME COMMENT I MADE ABOUT THE $75, THESE EMAILS THAT I'M RECEIVING, PEOPLE COULD MAKE THE CHOICE AND SAY, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE THIS JOB DONE. WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITIES. WHY EXPOSE THE CITY TO MORE LIABILITY? BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, FOR THOSE RESIDENTS THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT HAVEN'T HEARD ABOUT THE UNDERLYING, THERE ARE A LOT MORE THAT HAVE. AND THEY APPRECIATE THE UNDERLYING AND WILL EXPERIENCE THE UNDERLYING AFTER IT'S OPENED IN CORAL GABLES BECAUSE IT HASN'T CUT THE RIBBON YET. AND THAT MIGHT BE WHY THEY HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IT. BUT IT IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE FOR ALL RESIDENTS. IT'S A SAFE PLACE TO BE. AND IN FACT, THE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI AND OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IS TO HAVE MORE AREAS LIKE THIS WHERE PEOPLE CAN LIVE, WORK AND PLAY AND ENJOY BEING ABLE TO WALK AND BIKE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT. SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE UNDERLYING. BUT I'M ALSO CAUTIOUS HERE SAYING THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE TAKING THE MONEY. FROM THINGS THAT GIVE US THE TRIPLE, TRIPLE BOND RATING TO PAY NOW AND PAY A HECK OF A LOT MORE LATER BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO BE PAYING HIGHER INTEREST RATES. IT'S A FOOLISH MOVE. IT'S NOT A WISE BUDGETING MOVE. SO I CAN COMMIT IN THE FUTURE TO WORK ON LEGISLATIVE ITEMS THAT HELP BRING IN MORE MONEY FOR THE CITY, AND A WAY OF HAVING EXPANSIVE RIGHTS TO BE ABLE TO USE THE IMPACT FEES FOR PARK MAINTENANCE. OKAY, I CAN COMMIT TO DO THAT. BUT WHEN YOU'RE STARTING TO PEEL BACK CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR, IT'S A DANGEROUS THING TO DO. AND IT'S ALSO DANGEROUS TO REPEAT HISTORY BY FAILING TO PAY INTO THE PENSION. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS FOR YOU BOTH. VERY VALID. SO WHAT IS COMMISSIONER, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE? WHAT IS YOUR FUNDING NUMBER FOR YOU THAT YOU FEEL HAPPY WITH? COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, WE GOT TO MAKE A DECISION. WE DO HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION. AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THIS WE SHOULDN'T BE IN THIS SITUATION. THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BROUGHT UPON OURSELVES. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN THRUST UPON US OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS, AND IT HAS PUT US IN A TOUGH SITUATION. AND I THINK THE MOST DIFFICULT PART IS SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED, WHICH IS HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THE UNDERLYING IS MAINTAINED TO A CITY OF CORAL GABLES STANDARD? AND I THINK EVERY EVERY ITEM THAT WE PLACED IN THAT RESOLUTION EARLIER TODAY THAT YOU, YOU HAD SUGGESTED WAS ABOUT ENSURING THAT THAT WAS THE CASE. SO I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE FINANCE DIRECTOR. WHERE DO YOU THINK WE WILL BE WITH END OF YEAR SURPLUS FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR? YOU DON'T KNOW. YOU WON'T KNOW THAT UNTIL YOU'VE MADE YOUR CALCULATIONS. YEAH. AND JUST TO THE MAYOR'S REQUEST. RIGHT. WE WON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER UNTIL AFTER THE AUDIT. AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FUND ALL OF OUR LIABILITIES AND THAT WE'VE ACCOUNTED FOR EVERYTHING. JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOU. TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. SHE MAY NOT EVEN HAVE THE $800,000. I'M JUST I'M JUST SAYING YOU SAID I'M JUST SAYING YOU NEVER KNOW. YOU DON'T KNOW. AND WE'RE GOING TO ASK FOR A MEMO. I ASK FOR A MEMO. SO EVERYBODY HAS IT. I ASK FOR FULL TRANSPARENCY. YES. I ASKED FOR A MEMO TO WHAT IS THE LEFTOVERS SO THAT WE KNOW WHAT THEY ARE AND ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. WE ARE WE FEEL COMFORTABLE TO RECOMMEND IT FROM THERE, BUT ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. WE DO KNOW THAT OUR COLLECTIONS ARE LOWER IN CERTAIN AREAS. WE DO KNOW THAT WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE NOT EXPENDED ALL OF OUR BUDGETED EXPENSES, SO WE KNOW THAT WE WILL HAVE SURPLUSES. WE DON'T KNOW IF CERTAIN LIABILITIES OR CERTAIN CHANGES IN REPORTING WILL AFFECT US. SO I CAN'T GIVE YOU A DEFINITIVE AMOUNT THAT WE WILL HAVE, BUT WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THE 800,000 WILL [02:30:05] BE THERE AT A MINIMUM. BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU WE CAN'T GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF WHERE WE WILL BE NOW. SO AS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION. I ALWAYS ASK THE MANAGER AND THE FINANCE DIRECTOR ABOUT SHOVEL READY PROJECTS. WHAT PROJECTS ARE WE FUNDING IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET THAT ARE NOT POTENTIALLY GOING TO BE SHOVEL READY THIS YEAR? BECAUSE THAT'S MONEY THAT WE'RE PUTTING TOWARDS A PROJECT WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BUILD IT THIS YEAR. BUT THE REALITY IS WE PROBABLY WILL NOT. AND THAT DOES LEAD SOMETIMES TO THE SURPLUSES AS WELL. SO NO. SO WHAT'S IN CAPITAL IS ROLLED OVER AND MAINTAINED IN CAPITAL AND IT DOESN'T BECOME SURPLUS. SORRY, THAT'S WHAT I MEANT. I MEANT SURPLUS FOR THE FOR FOR CAPITAL. RIGHT. BUT WE WON'T SHIFT IT FROM CAPITAL. SO IF WE'RE BUILDING UP FUNDS FOR A FUTURE PROJECT AND THERE'S $1 MILLION OVER FOUR YEARS, IT'LL MAINTAIN IN THAT PROJECT, UNLESS THE COMMISSION DIRECTS US TO MOVE IT FOR SOME REASON. THE REALITY IS, IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN SO IN PRIOR YEARS WHERE WE HAD SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS TO PUT TOWARDS CAPITAL, WHICH NOT TO SAY THAT WE DIDN'T, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY BUDGETED CAPITAL THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS STILL. RIGHT? SO $166 MILLION INTO CAPITAL THAT IS SIGNIFICANT, INCLUDING THE 110 OF DEBT. HOWEVER, WE HAVE BEEN MORE CONSCIOUS ABOUT FUNDING PROJECTS THAT WE KNOW WE CAN MOVE AHEAD BECAUSE WE HAVE PROJECTS LIKE THE MOBILITY HUB AND CITY HALL AHEAD OF US. WE HAVE COMMITTED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE PONCE DE LEON CORRIDOR, AND SO MANY OF THE PROJECTS ARE FUNDING CONSTRUCTION, AND WE'VE COMMITTED TO DESIGN AND SMALLER LANDSCAPING AND SOME STREET CHANGES AND SOME OF THE AREAS THAT THAT'S WHAT IT WOULD TOLERATE, LIKE THE FLAGLER, LIKE FLAGLER AREA, RIGHT? SO WE ARE FUNDING EIGHTH STREET TO FLAGLER BIRD ROAD TO MERRICK TO ALHAMBRA, ALHAMBRA TO PONCE. AND WE ARE MAINTAINING THAT FUNDING. WE DIDN'T RECOMMEND REMOVING THE DESIGN MONEY BECAUSE IF WE STARTED PONCE, WHY WOULD WE CUT IT IN HALF AND NOT DO THE OTHER PIECES? RIGHT. SO WE'VE COMMITTED TO KEEPING THOSE THINGS. WE ARE STILL FUNDING SIDEWALK REPLACEMENTS. WHAT WE RECOMMENDED HERE WAS REDUCTION TO NEW SIDEWALKS. AGAIN, NOT OUR PREFERENCE, BUT IF WE HAVE TO MAKE A CHOICE, SO MANY OF THE PROJECTS HERE ARE NOT PIE IN THE SKY TYPE OF PROJECTS. THEY ARE EITHER THINGS THAT YOU HAVE VERY CLEARLY DIRECTED US, OR PRIORITIES, OR THINGS THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED TO IN OUR REGULAR DISCUSSIONS LIKE THE PONCE CORRIDOR. SO QUICK QUESTION. LET'S JUST USE SIDEWALKS BECAUSE WE ALL GET CALLS ON SIDEWALKS. WHAT SIDEWALKS, NEW SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION ARE WE GOING TO HAVE TO NOW ABANDON AS A RESULT, I'M GOING TO LOOK AT PUBLIC WORKS AS I GIVE THEM THE MONEY AND THEY DO THE WORK I KNOW. OTHER WORKS SIDEWALKS, SIDEWALKS. YES. THESE ARE NOT RECONSTRUCTION. IT'S NOT TAKE OUT SIDEWALK AND PUT IT BACK ON. THIS IS NEW WORK, WHICH REQUIRES QUITE A BIT OF WORK BECAUSE BECAUSE GENERALLY WE'VE HAD A RIGHT OF WAY THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR 100 YEARS WITHOUT SIDEWALKS. SO WE HAVE LARGE TREES. IT'S QUITE EXPENSIVE. ALHAMBRA, THIS IS BLUE ROAD. YES, THIS IS UNIVERSITY, VERY EXPENSIVE. THIS IS, YOU KNOW, SURVEYS HEARING FULL, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING. THE WHOLE NINE YARDS DRAINAGE DRAINAGE. KIRBY CURBING POTENTIAL CURBING. SO SO THESE PROJECTS AND THEN OF COURSE WE HAVE THE THE INTERSECTIONS AND THEN WE HAVE THE SIDEWALK REPLACEMENT, WHICH IS EASIER BECAUSE YOU'RE TAKING OUT A SIDEWALK THAT WAS DAMAGED GENERALLY BY TREES AND PUTTING ANOTHER ONE. OKAY. THANK YOU, MR. DIRECTOR. HOW ARE YOU, SIR? HOW ARE YOU DOING? GOOD. SO AS A RESULT, WE'RE LOOKING AT, FOR EXAMPLE, I JUST WANT TO USE THIS AS AN EXAMPLE. RIGHT? SIDEWALKS, NEW SIDEWALKS, PROPOSED SIDEWALKS. IF WE SHAVE FROM THERE TO MEET THE NEED, OBVIOUSLY OF THE UNDERLYING, WHAT AREAS WOULD BE AFFECTED WOULD YOU SAY? SO ONE LOCATION THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY LOOKING, FOR EXAMPLE, IT'S ARJUNA DRIVE. WE'RE LOOKING INTO THE FEASIBILITY, WHETHER WE CAN DO SIDEWALK THERE OR NOT. SO JUST ORDER OF MAGNITUDE. SO $50,000 AT OUR CURRENT PRICING, YOU'RE LOOKING ABOUT 700FT OF SIDEWALK, MORE OR LESS. IT COULD BE A LITTLE BIT LESS DEPENDING ON WHAT OTHER IMPROVEMENTS MAY MAY NEED TO BE REQUIRED. SO I WILL SAY 500, 700FT OF SIDEWALK, MORE OR LESS. THAT WILL HAVE TO BE POSTPONED. AND THIS WAS ABOUT 200, $200,000 THAT WAS BEING REMOVED. RIGHT. WELL, $50,000 BEING PROPOSED. YES, ON THAT ON THAT CUT, ON THAT CUT. SO THAT'S THAT'S ON NEW SIDEWALKS, RIGHT? CURRENTLY WE'RE BUDGETING 698,000. WE'RE PROPOSING 5000 REDUCTION FOR. 648 OKAY, SO I JUST WANT TO PUT IT OUT THERE AND GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE. THESE ARE ACTUAL PROJECTS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE CUT BECAUSE AGAIN, WE [02:35:04] DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR IT. THAT'S ONCE WE DECIDE WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO HERE WITH THE OTHER NIGHT. SO ALL RIGHT, IT'S GETTING LATE. WE STILL HAVE A COMMISSION MEETING TO FINISH UP. AND AGAIN, WHILE I WOULD LOVE TO BE HERE ALL NIGHT, I KNOW THE EMPLOYEES ARE TIRED. WE GOT TO MAKE A DECISION. WHAT DO WE WHAT IS THE FUNDING NUMBER FOR THE UNDERLYING MADAM VICE MAYOR? FOR $500,000, WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? SECOND? WE HAVE A SECOND. MR. CLARK. LET'S GET A VOTE. VICE MAYOR ANDERSON. YES, COMMISSIONER CASTRO? NO, BECAUSE I WANTED SOMETHING ABOVE $500,000. YES WE DID. MAYOR. WE HAD A MOTION PENDING ON THE BUDGET ORDINANCE. WE HAD A MOTION. AND A SECOND, I APOLOGIZE ON THE BUDGET ORDINANCE, AND I GUESS WE CAN WE CAN TAKE THE VOTE ON THE BUDGET ORDINANCE, AMENDING THE BUDGET TO INCORPORATE THE 500 000 TO BE ON THEIR LINE. WE CAN DO IT. SO COMMISSIONER CASTRO SAID SHE WANTED OVER 500. SO I'M WILLING TO IF THE VICE MAYOR IS WILLING TO AMEND IT TO $501,000 TO MAKE HER HAPPY TO COME UNANIMOUSLY ON BOARD, JUST OFFERING AN OLIVE BRANCH. I THINK IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY. SO WILL. YES. SORRY. SO IF YOU ARE GOING TO VOTE ON THE BUDGET WITH THIS FUNDING FOR THE UNDERLYING, I THINK ALSO THEN PART OF THIS WILL REQUIRE INCLUDING WHICH PROJECTS. RIGHT. SO FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE BUDGET ORDINANCE, I THINK THAT WE CAN AGREE ON A CHANGE IN THE TOTAL TO CAPITAL. OKAY. OKAY. AND THEN FOR THE CAPITAL, WE LIKELY WILL HAVE TO MAKE THE CHANGE. OKAY. SO IF THE IF THE PROPOSAL IS TO. OKAY. SO ARE WE ON THE 501? YEAH, I'M TRYING TO GET I'M TRYING TO GET CONSENSUS HERE SAID OVER 500. SO THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT CONSIDERATION. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO MEET YOU GUYS IN THE MIDDLE. THEY WANTED A MILLION. WE WANT 500. LET'S GO TO $750,000. AND THAT MONEY SHOULD NOT BE COMING FROM CAPITAL PROJECTS. ONCE AGAIN, WHEN WE SAY OUR BUDGET IS SO TIGHT, BUT WE'RE STILL FUNDING 9 MILLION EXTRA DOLLARS TO THE PENSION, EXTRA MONEY TO THE PENSION, SO IT CAN ACTUALLY COME FROM THERE. WE DON'T HAVE TO TOUCH OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS. SO THAT IS THAT IS MY MOTION. I THINK WE COULD MEET IN THE MIDDLE. 750 IS A FAIR DEAL. SO IN ORDER TO IF I MAY JUST RESPOND BECAUSE FIRST AND FOREMOST, THERE'S ALREADY A MOTION ON THE FLOOR, NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, YOU WERE TRYING TO, I THINK, TAKE LIKE $5 MILLION IN A TAX CUT FOR THE RESIDENTS. SO, YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN THINK THERE'S EVEN A COMPARABLE ARGUMENT THAT YOU CAN MAKE. I KNOW IT'S NOVEMBER AROUND THE CORNER ELECTION SEASON, AND WE'RE TRYING TO GET EVERY SINGLE VOTE WE CAN. BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY. THINK ABOUT WHAT WE WOULD DO WITH $2 MILLION ADDITIONAL MONEY IN A COLA THAT WAS GIVEN EVERY SINGLE YEAR FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS. I CANNOT FORGET THAT. THAT IS A MONSTROUS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR AND THAT I VOTED NO ON, AND THAT WILL PLAGUE THE CITY FOR THE NEXT EIGHT YEARS. SO YOU CAN SAY WHATEVER YOU LIKE, ALONG WITH YOUR 101% RAISE, ALONG WITH YOUR CAR ALLOWANCE, ALONG WITH ALL THE THINGS YOU'VE DONE. BUT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO TRY TO BE CUTE AND JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON OF THE UNDERLYING. WHEN YOU HAVE DONE ZERO FOR THE UNDERLYING, ZERO FOR THE ONLINE IN TEN YEARS, AND YOU'RE HERE NOW TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO, YOU KNOW, GET SOME CREDIT AND SEND OUT SOME INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT, YOU KNOW, POST TONIGHT SAYING, HEY, I FOUGHT FOR THE UNDERLYING, BUT YOU KNOW, THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T WANT TO FUND YOUR ACCOUNT, BUT I WAS YOUR WARRIOR ON THAT ISSUE. THAT'S ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE. AND I'M NOT GOING TO STAND FOR THAT BECAUSE I'VE WORKED WAY TOO HARD ON THIS UNDERLYING PROJECT FOR TEN YEARS TO HAVE YOU COME IN AT THE LAST MINUTE AND TRY TO SWOOP IN AND SAY THAT YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, THE SAVIOR OF THE PROJECT. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE. SO HOLD ON. WAIT, WAIT, STOP. NO, NO, YOU DON'T HAVE A MOTION. THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. YOU CAN'T GIVE EMOTION. OKAY, SO AGAIN, AFTER FOUR YEARS, YOU SHOULD KNOW THE RULES. MADAM VICE MAYOR, PLEASE EXCUSE ME. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, WILL YOU PLEASE TELL US THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR? SO CURRENTLY, THE MOTION IS A MOTION TO APPROVE THE BUDGET ORDINANCE AS PUBLISHED WITH THE AGENDA. WE'RE HEARING DISCUSSION ABOUT APPROVING AN AMOUNT TO FUND THE UNDERLYING MAINTENANCE AND OPERATION. AND SO WHAT WE WOULD NEED IS THE MOVE IN TO AGREE TO AN AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION. I BELIEVE THE MOVEMENT WAS COMMISSIONER LARA. NO, I THINK THE IT WAS IT WAS COMMISSIONER. OKAY. PERFECT. YES. OKAY. AND SO WE WOULD NEED THE THE THE [02:40:01] MOVEMENT TO AGREE TO AN AMENDMENT. OR IF WE COULD, WE COULD DO THE FORMAL PROCESS FOR AN AMENDMENT IF WE NEED TO. AND SO WE'VE HEARD 501,000 OR DIFFERENT AMOUNT. IT'S UP TO YOU. SHE DOESN'T WANT THE 501,000 AND 500,000. IT IS. I'LL MAKE THE AMENDMENT. OKAY. SO THE AMENDMENT FOR $500,000 AND MY SECOND STANCE. SO JUST CONFIRMING THAT IS SUFFICIENT FOR THAT WHAT YOU WOULD NEED FOR THIS, RIGHT. SO AMENDING FOR THE $500,000, I WILL, I WOULD HAVE TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE TAKING IT FROM. AND SO IF WE'RE AGREEING THAT IT'S COMING FROM CAPITAL, THEN THE AMENDMENT TO THE BUDGET WOULD HAVE TO AMEND TO SOME AMOUNTS. OKAY, I'M GOING TO MAKE IT EASY FOR YOU. OKAY. IF MY COLLEAGUES AGREE, IT'S 500,000 FROM CAPITAL, NOT FROM THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY. WE ARE GOING TO DO WHAT'S RIGHT AND WE ARE GOING TO, JUST LIKE WE DID TODAY WITH THE LINCOLN IN 20 YEARS, SOMEBODY WILL SAY THANK YOU FOR NOT TAKING THE MONEY AND FOR INVESTING AND GETTING THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. WE'RE GOING TO DO THE SAME THING WHEN WE PAY THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY OFF. AND SOMEBODY HERE HAS $30 MILLION A YEAR TO SPEND THAT MONEY ON THE RESIDENTS, THEY'RE GOING TO THANK ALL OF US FOR NOT TAKING MORE MONEY OUT OF THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY, ADDITIONAL PAYMENT. I RECOMMEND THAT WE LET THE MANAGER HANDLE, TO HIS DISCRETION HOW THE BREAKDOWN IS IN REGARDS TO CAPITAL, AND I THINK IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO WORK WITH HIS STAFF ON THAT BUDGET. I WOULD AMEND MY MOTION TO INCLUDE THAT PARTICULAR ADD ON. AND MY SECOND STANCE. OKAY. IS THAT CLEAR, MADAM DIRECTOR? YES. OKAY. OKAY. SO THAT AMENDMENT WOULD CHANGE THE TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSE FROM $254,082,086 TO $254,582,086. THAT WOULD BE ADDING THE 500,000 TO OPERATING AND REMOVING IT FROM CAPITAL. SO IT WILL REDUCE CAPITAL FROM $162,456,774, TO $161,956,774. THROUGH THE MAYOR. YES, SIR. JUST FOR THE SAKE OF CLARITY. OKAY. BECAUSE WE'VE DONE A LOT OF BACK AND FORTH TONIGHT. THE REASON I'M BRINGING THE MOTION IN ITS PRESENT FORM IS BECAUSE I WISH I COULD FUND A MILLION. IT WOULD NOT BE FISCALLY PRUDENT FOR ME TO DO SO, GIVEN THE DECISION THAT I FEEL WAS FORCED ON ME TO VOTE FOR THE REDUCTION IN THE GARBAGE FEE AND THE FUNDING OF THE VETERANS AND THE REALLY SENIOR RELIEF GRANT. HAD THAT NOT OCCURRED, 800 000 OR SO, I WOULD HAVE. RIGHT READILY GIVEN $1 MILLION TOWARDS THE UNDERLYING FOR ONE YEAR. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROTECT THE MILLAGE RATE. I VOTED THE WAY I DID, AND TO BE ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE FUNDING THAT I THINK IS MORE THAN TWO TIMES WHAT I WAS WILLING TO DO, WHICH WAS ONLY 200,000 UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I'M GOING TO GO WITH THE 500,000 AS THE MOTION WAS AMENDED. I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT CLEAR. FOR THE RECORD. THE MAYOR. SIR, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT THE DIRECTOR SAID. THERE IS ALSO IN THAT NUMBER IT LOOKS QUITE HIGH BECAUSE THERE IS $110 MILLION FROM THE 70 FROM FROM THE 70 MILLION FROM THE BONDS THAT WERE OCCURRING FOR THE PAYMENT, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE UNDERLYING AND ALSO CITY HALL. SO THERE IS $70,000,040 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF $110 MILLION. MR. MANAGER, THAT NUMBER LOOKS SO HIGH FOR MOBILITY AND FOR CITY HALL, FOR MOBILITY AND FOR CITY HALL, 4440 FOR CITY HALL, 70 FOR MOBILITY. THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER SEEMS VERY HIGH AND UNUSUALLY HIGH THIS YEAR COMPARED TO OTHERS, BECAUSE THE THOSE BONDS ARE INCLUDED FOR CAPITAL, BECAUSE THOSE TWO PROJECTS ARE CAPITAL. SO THAT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THAT NUMBER IS HAS TO BE REDUCED BY 110 BECAUSE THOSE THOSE TWO PROJECTS ABSORB THAT ONE. TEN OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO WE HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING. WE'VE COME TO AN AGREEMENT, WE HAVE A MOTION. AND A SECOND. CAN WE HAVE A VOTE, PLEASE, COMMISSIONER LAURA? YES. VICE MAYOR ANDERSON. YES. COMMISSIONER CASTRO NO. I TRIED TO REACH A COMPROMISE. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN. COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ. YES. MAYOR LARGO. YES, PLEASE. WE WENT OVER THIS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY. ONCE YOUR VOTE. YOU KNOW WHAT? I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT BECAUSE IT COMES FROM ME. IT'S JUST ANOTHER INSTAGRAM REEL. MADAM CITY ATTORNEY, WILL YOU REPEAT THE RULES, PLEASE? YES, MAYOR. THE CITY CODE PROVIDES THAT DURING VOTING THERE SHALL BE NO DISCUSSION. THERE SHOULD SIMPLY BE A YES OR A NO. WE GOT AN EMAIL TODAY ABOUT THAT TODAY. [02:45:05] WE'RE TRYING TO BE HAVE EFFICIENCY HERE. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO POLITICIZE EVERY SINGLE VOTE IN AN EFFORT TO HAVE AN INSTAGRAM REEL. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'VE ASKED WE'VE ASKED COMMISSIONER CASTRO MULTIPLE TIMES TODAY TO PLEASE CONDUCT YOURSELF LIKE A PROFESSIONAL. AND SHE'S INCAPABLE TO. SO EITHER I'M NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH OR FOR SOME REASON PEOPLE ARE HARD OF HEARING. LET'S DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY AND LET'S HAVE [5. 26-2143 A Resolution of the City Commission adopting the Capital Improvement Program for the Fiscal Years 2027 to 2031.] DECORUM AND RESPECT FOR THE PROCESS AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER FIVE. ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION ADOPTING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE FISCAL YEARS 2027 TO 2031. YES. SO FOR THIS ITEM, THERE ARE SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WHICH OUTLINE THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND WHICH PROJECTS ARE RECEIVING FUNDING IN FISCAL YEAR 27. AND SO THIS IS WHERE WE WOULD NEED TO DECIDE WHAT PROJECTS WE WOULD BE AMENDING IN THE CAPITAL PLAN TO REDUCE CAPITAL BY HALF $1 MILLION. OKAY. THROUGH COMMISSIONER LARA'S MOTION, I MADE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT WHICH WOULD ALLOW THE MANAGER TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES. IS THAT IS THAT SUFFICIENT? SO I THINK IT COULD BE A MOTION ADOPTING THE RESOLUTION WITH THE ADDITIONAL DIRECTION TO THE MANAGER TO ADJUST THE THE FUNDING FOR THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM TO ACCOUNT FOR THE $500,000. YES. TO MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THE CAPITAL BUDGET, TO REDUCE THE WHICHEVER PROJECTS BY THAT SHE'LL WRITE IT. BUT YES, THE ABILITY TO AMEND THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR THE. TO ACCOUNT FOR THE REDUCTION OF THE HALF $1 MILLION. I'LL MOVE IT. SECOND, MR. CLERK, VICE MAYOR ANDERSON. YES. COMMISSIONER. CASTRO. YES. COMMISSIONER. FERNANDEZ. YES. COMMISSIONER. LARA. YES. MAYOR. LARGO. YES. OKAY. IN CLOSING, I WANT TO THANK, FIRST AND FOREMOST, ALL THE EMPLOYEES. I THANK YOU FOR FOR YOUR EFFORTS. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CIRCUS. IN 13 YEARS, ALMOST 14 YEARS OF BEING IN PUBLIC OFFICE, VERY FEW OCCURRENCES, AT LEAST IN MY FIRST TEN YEARS WHERE I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN STRONG ARMED ON THE COMMISSION FLOOR, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE DECISIONS THAT ARE RENDERED HERE TODAY, AT LEAST MY DECISIONS ARE IN AN EFFORT TO PROTECT THE CITY AT ALL COSTS. WE WILL, AND I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TODAY, WE SACRIFICE CAPITAL PROJECTS TO ENSURE THAT WE PROTECT YOUR PENSIONS, AND SO THAT SOMEONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE WHO WHO HAS THE PRIVILEGE TO BE THE MAYOR AND THE COMMISSIONERS HERE, WHOEVER THAT MAY BE, WILL HAVE 26, 27, $28 MILLION ADDITIONAL MONEY, GOD WILLING, IN 5 TO 6 YEARS. AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE REMEMBERED. I DOUBT IT, BUT HOPEFULLY WE WILL. AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT WAS ACTUALLY REFRESHING TO HEAR FROM THE VICE MAYOR. BRING UP VICE MAYOR KERR STATEMENT IN REGARDS TO THE SIDEWALKS. THAT WAS REFRESHING TO HEAR. SO WE DO HAVE A CONSCIENCE, AND WE DO HAVE A MEMORY HERE OF HOW THINGS HAPPEN IN THE PAST. SO IN CLOSING, I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU AGAIN. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO THE CITY. BEAUTIFUL FOR WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD ON THIS BUDGET. I CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH. AND WISH YOU ALL THE BEST. GOD BLESS AND HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING. AND NOW WE'LL ADJOURN THE MEETING. MAY I HAVE A MOTION TO TO ADJOURN? SO MOVED HER, AGAIN. WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO HAVE A RESPECTFUL MEETING. WE'VE ADDRESSED EVERY ITEM THAT'S BEFORE THE COMMISSION. NOW WE HAVE TO MOVE ON BACK TO THE COMMISSION TO FINISH THE COMMISSION MEETING. SECOND, A MOTION * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.