State lawmakers present $800,000-plus in appropriations to Miramar, including $300,000 for senior center and $500,000 for flood mitigation

State Sen. Barbara Sharif and state Rep. Marie Woodson presented signed appropriation checks to the Miramar City Commission on Oct. 1, 2025, delivering funding the lawmakers said will support senior services and flood mitigation in the city.

"It is with tremendous pride that I present a $300,000 appropriation for the South Central Southeast Focal Point Senior Center, now named the Alexandra P. Davis Senior Center," Sen. Barbara Sharif said at the commission meeting, and she announced an additional $500,000 appropriation for the Miramar flood mitigation project phase 5.

The presentation was followed by comments from state Rep. Marie Woodson, who described how the legislative appropriation process works and the broader totals she secured for the district. "This year, again, I bought you a total of $800,000," Woodson said, adding that she also helped secure roughly $4.8 million in other appropriations for projects across her district.

Why it matters: The city will use the senior center funds to expand local services and the flood mitigation money for a multiyear infrastructure project the city identified as a priority. Lawmakers at the meeting framed both appropriations as investments in resilience and services for Miramar residents.

What lawmakers said and next steps Sharif emphasized that the flood mitigation appropriation would advance a long‑standing local priority: reducing repeated flooding in parts of Miramar. Woodson described the joint, bicameral process for getting line‑item appropriations included in the state budget and thanked local lobbyist Devon Campbell and her staff aide Nejeen St. Louis for their roles in submitting paperwork and following up in Tallahassee.

"Let's just say you give us an appropriation for $400,000. I have to do my work to secure that $400,000 on the house side, and senator (Sharif) has to do her part to secure as well $400,000 on the senate side in order for it to be included in the budget," Woodson said.

The checks were presented on the dais and commission members posed for a photo with the legislators. The commission did not take any formal vote on the checks at that meeting; state appropriations are administered through the legislative and executive branches in Tallahassee and arrive to cities after appropriation and state disbursement processes are completed.

Funding context and caveats Woodson and Sharif noted the broader legislative context, including other bills and appropriations they worked on this session, and warned that future allocations depend on the annual budget process. Woodson said some items submitted for funding did not survive technical reviews or vetoes this session and encouraged the city to supply complete paperwork for future requests.

Commission response Mayor Wayne Messam and Vice Mayor Yvette Colburn thanked the legislators for the funding and for their work in Tallahassee. There was no commission vote tied to the presentations; the session was ceremonial and informational.

Ending City staff and the legislators invited city officials to provide any additional project paperwork or requests at upcoming workshops so lawmakers can consider them during the next legislative cycle.