Commission cuts commissioner office budgets, limits allowable uses

Coral Gables commissioners voted May 6 to reduce the annual office budget for each commissioner from $10,000 back to $5,000 starting in the 2025-26 fiscal year and to remove several permitted uses from the policy.

Deputy City Attorney Stephanie Throckmorton summarized the resolution, which amends prior policies governing each commissioneroffice expense account. The amended policy removes mass-mailing fees, design/printing/production for flyers and palm cards for events, purchase of event tickets where the city official attends in an official capacity, and donations to city public schools or Coral Gables-based charities from the list of allowable uses.

Supporters said the change is part of broader stewardship of taxpayer dollars and that many informational functions can be provided more efficiently via the city website and electronic communications. Vice Mayor Anderson described the change as a way to "put the dollars back into the budget to do the things that the residents are asking for the most." Public commenters, including a representative relaying Commissioner Melissa Castrowho was absent for medical reasons, said the reduction could hamper routine outreach such as welcome packages for new residents.

The measure passed on recorded votes with the majority supporting the reduction; the clerk and finance department will apply the new limits to the 2025-26 budget cycle and the city will post related expense reporting requirements for transparency.