The Doral City Council voted 3-1 to approve a proposed operating millage rate of 1.7166 and to set two public budget hearings required under Florida's TRIM law, city officials said during a meeting covering the fiscal 2025'26 budget process.

The vote, moved by Councilwoman Reynoso and seconded by Councilman Pinedo, also included a separate debt-service millage of 0.481 to cover annual debt service on general obligation bond issuances. Council votes were: Reynoso yes, Pinedo yes, Vice Mayor Porras no and Mayor Fraga yes; the motion passed.

Finance Director Solangelo Perez told the council the Miami'Dade County property appraiser certified the city's 2025 taxable value at about $21.9 billion, an 8% increase over the prior year. Perez said a 1.7166 millage would generate approximately $35.7 million in ad valorem revenue; the rollback rate of 1.5875 would generate about $33.0 million, a $2.7 million difference. Using the cited 2025 average Doral homestead value of $382,906, Perez said the operating millage at 1.7166 would equate to roughly $657.30 per average homeowner; at the rollback rate the average homeowner share would be about $607.86, a difference of about $49.43. Perez also said the 0.481 debt-service millage would cover roughly $7.6 million in annual debt service and represent about $184.18 for the same average homestead value, as shown in the presentation.

The council'level debate centered on whether to adopt the rollback rate now or keep the higher ceiling and review the full budget first. "I do agree with the recommendations of the property appraiser who has urged cities to lower millage rates to provide relief to homeowners," said Councilwoman Pinedo, who proposed adopting the rollback rate of 1.5875. "We are seeing a lot of rise in the cost of being a homeowner. We have seniors that are struggling to keep their homes because they can't pay property taxes."

Opponents said setting the lower ceiling without reviewing the full budget could force future cuts to services or staff. "I'm not willing to make that decision because if I tell you right now I'm going to lower $5 your taxes a month, I'm going to tell you I have to tell you when I'm going to increase your taxes in the future," said Councilman Pinedo during his remarks opposing the immediate rollback. Mayor Fraga warned of program and staffing impacts, noting the city previously reduced police positions after an earlier rollback and later restored them when revenues permitted. "We need to make sure we're doing it in a way that doesn't sacrifice services to our community," the mayor said.

A member of the public raised affordability concerns. "The taxes are going too high, almost twice or 3 in in the last 5 years," said Nestor Vasquez, who identified himself as representing the Las Vistas at Doral community of almost 1,000 apartments. "It is no longer affordable. That's it. Thank you."

City staff and councilmembers stressed that today's action sets a maximum (a ceiling) for advertising on TRIM notices and that the council can lower the millage at the first or second budget hearing but cannot raise it above the advertised ceiling without additional statutory notices. Perez said the council must submit the proposed millage to the county property appraiser within 35 days of the appraiser's certification and that the city would file the resolution following the vote.

The council concluded by scheduling the required first and second public budget hearings (dates set on the record during the meeting) and directing staff to publish the TRIM notice. Perez said the proposed budget document using the approved millage would be available to the council the following day. Council members encouraged residents to attend upcoming budget workshops to review proposed service changes and revenue assumptions.

Votes at a glance: Motion to approve the proposed operating millage rate of 1.7166, accept the current-year rollback rate for notice purposes, levy a 0.481 debt-service millage for GO bonds series 2019 and 2021, and set two budget hearing dates. Mover: Councilwoman Reynoso. Second: Councilman Pinedo. Outcome: Approved, yes 3, no 1.