Miami-Dade adopts FY2025–26 budget; sets countywide millage at 4.574 mills

Miami-Dade County commissioners on Thursday adopted the county'wide fiscal year 2025-26 budget and set the countywide operating millage at 4.574 mills, the board said after a long public hearing and a series of late changes and motions.

The board approved the countywide debt service millage at 0.4171 mills and adopted the general fund and a suite of proprietary and special assessment budgets that together fund county services for the year beginning Oct. 1, 2025. The votes followed an evening of public comment and a series of amendments the board incorporated into the final package.

Why it matters: The millage rate and the budget together determine property tax bills and how the county apportions funding for public safety, social services, parks, libraries, transit and other programs. Commissioners said they worked to protect core services while using a mix of one-time and ongoing revenue adjustments to close the administration''s projected shortfall.

What the board approved and how it voted - Countywide operating millage: 4.574 mills (adopted 9-3). The budget director told the board this rate is 7.57% above the state rollback rate. The millage will fund general fund operations including a planned cost-of-living adjustment, retirement increases and maintenance-of-effort funding for Jackson Health. - Countywide debt service millage: 0.4171 mills (adopted 10-2). The rate includes allocations for building better communities bonds and the public health trust debt service. - Countywide general fund budget (FY2025-26): Adopted after the board accepted multiple late changes and amendments. The final package included restorations of funding for community-based organizations, cultural grants and several targeted reallocations. (Final ordinance vote recorded on the floor.)

Major board changes included: - Transit fares: Commissioners voted to eliminate the proposed fare increases for Metrobus, Metrorail and STS paratransit by reallocating funds and using available carryover. The chair's motion to allocate TID (transportation infrastructure district) funds plus identified carryover was adopted. - Community-based organizations and cultural grants: Following extensive public comment, the board restored competitive cultural grants and added targeted allocations for nonprofit providers through amendments.

Points raised in the hearing: Dozens of residents and nonprofit leaders urged full restoration of cultural and CBO funding, argued against transit fare increases and warned the board not to weaken the county's environmental permitting capacity. Constitutional officers reported returning surplus funds to the county to help the budget.

What happens next: The budget becomes effective Oct. 1, 2025. The board and administration must track revenues and report back as receipts materialize; commissioners also directed several follow-up reports and contract actions (see related articles on transit contracting and departmental reorganization).

Quotations - ''It is my job, by charter, to lead our county organization and to propose a balanced budget,'' Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in remarks read into the record, adding the administration closed a large portion of the gap through departmental reductions and returned constitutional office funds. - ''We heard you loud and clear,'' Chair Anthony Rodriguez said as the board moved late amendments to restore nonprofit and arts funding.

Ending note: Commissioners repeatedly said the budget''s passage starts a year of continued fiscal work. Several members warned the county must find structural revenues or savings to avoid a repeat of a tight process next year.