Miami, FL – Mayor Manny Diaz presented his Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Preliminary Budget before the City Commission during the First Budget Hearing on Thursday, September 11, 2008. The budget meets state-mandated cuts in revenue and achieves a $48.5 million reduction in expenses while maintaining the City’s investment in infrastructure, police and fire, parks, and other important government services.

“Despite market conditions not within our control, and statewide tax reform, we have achieved a balanced approach between reducing the tax burden on our residents while, at the same time, continuing to invest in the services that make our city worth living in,” said Mayor Diaz.

Highlights of the Mayor’s proposed budget:

•        Total proposed budget of $525.1 million, which represents only a $1.4 million,
         or 0.3%, increase over the FY 08 Adopted Budget.

•        Proposed millage rate of 7.6740

•        $48.5 million in reduced expenditures, meaning $100 million in cuts over a two year
         budget cycle. Eliminates $13.5 million in departmental spending without significant
         reduction in services.

•        Provides for an additional 25 police officers, to complement the 145 new law
         enforcement personnel added during the last two years.

•        Provides $2 million more to Parks, reflecting an increase of 37 new positions from 
         last year’s adopted budget and preserves our popular and free after-school programs
         and summer programs on which almost 4,000 Miami children and their families
         depend on.  

•        Eliminates and freezes 67 positions, which means a total of 176 frozen or
         eliminated positions over the past two years, achieving a balanced
         budget without requiring any employee be laid-off.

•        Provides across the board increases in compensation as  approved in
         all union contracts.

•        Invests $1.5 million in continuing poverty-reduction initiatives, including
         senior citizen assistance.

Mayor’s Budget Address.