Miami Gardens workshop reviews FY2026 budget after $864 million property-value gain

Deputy City Manager Craig Clay told the Miami Gardens City Council at a July 23 workshop that a $864 million increase in taxable property value since fiscal 2025 would bring the city roughly $5.7 million in additional revenue and leave the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget at about $122 million.

The increase in taxable valuation — reported by the property appraiser as $9.618 billion as of July 1 — and other revenue and cost changes shaped the presentation, which outlined personnel changes, infrastructure spending, new service pilots and next steps in the budget calendar. Clay said staff expect to return with state revenue figures before the council’s September hearings.

Clay summarized the key fiscal inputs and pressures: the operating millage rate remains at 6.9363 mills; the debt‑service millage has fallen to about 0.4331 mills, and the average homestead taxpayer would see an estimated $76 annual increase (about $6 per month). He said the city’s combined millage has declined over recent years even as assessed values have climbed.

The presentation listed personnel and operating highlights: a recommended 6% salary…