Miami-Dade officials warn of roughly $387 million FY26 shortfall; constitutional offices increase pressure on budget

Carla Denise Edwards, Miami-Dade County chief administrative officer, told the Appropriations Committee on May 6 that the county is facing a projected $387 million deficit for fiscal year 2026. Edwards said the shortfall stems from three primary “headwinds”: increased costs tied to newly implemented constitutional offices, anticipated downward pressure on revenues and market volatility that raises operating costs.

Edwards, who oversees the Office of Management and Budget, strategic procurement and internal operations, said Miami‑Dade’s $12.7 billion enterprise includes roughly $8 billion in operating expenses and $4.1 billion in capital spending. For the general operating budget, Edwards said projected revenues and carryover for FY26 total about $3.2 billion, roughly $6 million less than the prior year, while projected operating expenses total about $3.6 billion, leaving what she described as a $387 million gap.

“Expenses have gone up, and our projections of revenue have gone down,” Edwards said, adding that assumptions underlying the forecast included a…