Miami Gardens council approves 2025-26 millage rate and budget, allocates funds for police, infrastructure and housing aid

The Miami Gardens City Council on Sept. 9 adopted a proposed operating millage rate of 6.9363 and approved the city's fiscal year 2025-26 budget following a first public hearing and unanimous votes by the seven-member council.

City Manager Biesecker presented the proposed millage and budget and recommended the millage rate, saying, "With that, mister mayor, I recommend the budget millage rate of 6.9363 for the year of 20 25 20 26." The proposal includes a voter-approved debt service millage of 0.4331 for an aggregate millage of 7.3694.

The vote followed procedural motions to defer the millage until after discussion of the budget and then to recall and vote. The council recorded unanimous votes in favor of both the millage and the budget.

Why it matters: the adopted millage and budget set tax rates and spending priorities for the city's next fiscal year, affecting public-safety staffing, infrastructure projects such as road and stormwater work, lighting district upgrades, and housing and homelessness services.

Most important items and figures

- Millage: The council approved an operating millage rate of 6.9363, described in the hearing as about 7.9% above the rollback rate; the voter-approved debt service millage is 0.4331, for a total rate of 7.3694.

- Budget adoption: The council approved the FY 2025-26 budget (first…