Citizens Independent Transportation Trust briefs Hialeah on half‑cent transit funds, SmartPlan priorities

Javier Bettencourt, executive director of the Citizens Independent Transportation Trust, told the Hialeah City Council that the county’s half‑cent sales surtax has generated nearly $5 billion since it began and currently brings in about $400 million a year, and that about 20% of the surtax proceeds are distributed to municipalities for local transportation projects.

“That little half penny does add up,” Bettencourt said, summarizing the referendum history and CITT’s role as an oversight board that audits spending and monitors implementation of the People’s Transportation Plan (PTP).

The presentation explained how the CITT and county split the surtax revenue (roughly two‑thirds to Miami‑Dade Transit and roughly one‑fifth to cities), and how cities must spend at least 20% of their share on transit uses such as fixed‑route circulators or on‑demand services. Mariana Price, municipal program manager for the CITT, said Hialeah received about $14.4 million last year and “spent more than it received,” and that the city exceeded the 20% transit minimum by investing in fixed routes and on‑demand services. She also said first‑quarter ridership is up and that Hialeah’s quarter‑to‑date ridership was already tracking to exceed last year’s totals.

Bettencourt reviewed the SmartPlan, the county’s multi‑corridor proposal to expand rapid transit across Miami‑Dade. He described six corridors (South, Beach, East‑West, Kendall, Northeast and North) and said the South Corridor bus rapid transit line is under construction and expected to open in summer. He said other corridors remain in planning and design stages, and that funding for heavy infrastructure — especially Metrorail extensions — remains incomplete.

The trust director emphasized funding complexity and the need for “layers” of finance — federal, state, local and creative tools such as tax‑increment strategies — to advance projects. Bettencourt and Price described smaller initiatives the CITT is pursuing, including smart traffic signals, micromobility recording, an ambassador program that solicits rider feedback and a CITT podcast for public outreach.

Why it matters: the CITT presentation clarified how municipal surtax dollars can be used locally (including for Hialeah’s Flamingo and Marlin routes and on‑demand services), and signaled the county’s priorities for future transit investments and funding strategies.

Speakers: Javier Bettencourt, Executive Director, Citizens Independent Transportation Trust; Mariana Price, Municipal Program Manager, CITT.

Ending: Bettencourt said the CITT aims to steer remaining funds toward transit projects where the county is most behind and invited local stakeholders to apply for ambassador roles and to consult the trust’s public accounting documents online.