Citizens gather as Miami-Dade Commission considers budget cuts

MIAMI (WSVN) -- All day long citizens of Miami-Dade gathered in preparation to speak their oppositions to proposed solutions for a deficit in Miami-Dade County's proposed budget.

The line started forming at county hall at 6 a.m. Thursday. Some protesters were bused in, and hundreds were willing to wait all day to say their peace. Left to strike a balance... the 13 county commissioners. "I think we can pass this budget without increasing taxes," said District 6 Commissioner. Rebecca Sosa.

The first of two budget debates began at 5 p.m. Thursday at the commission chambers at the Stephen P. Clark Center. During the hearing, citizens had a chance to sound off before commissioners made their final decision on which county programs and services will see cuts as part of the county's fiscal slim-down.

Speaking during the proceedings, the commissioners said the know they are caught in a political no man's land between raising property taxes at a time when homes are depreciating assets and taking away from social services when they are needed most. "There are two things most everyone agrees on. We all want services for our community, we all want to pay less in taxes," said District 8 Commissioner Katy Sorenson.

Each of the commissioners come to this first of two budget hearings with a proposal of their own. District 7 Commissioner Carlos Gimenez said that he has crafted a budget that would lower taxes, cut waste and save valuable programs. "I don't want any kind of tax increase for anybody inside Dade County."

But that only makes one of 13 proposals. The real work of compromise is just beginning, and left in the balance are the tax dollars of the county residents.

When the meeting began, the overflow crowd in the lobby, outside the chambers, grew into the hundreds. Commissioners were prepared to hear everyone out, even if it carried over into the next day, they said.

Those showing up for an opportunity to speak out were split into two factions: those that do not want to see any tax raises and those who do not want to see and social services cut.

Some of the social services that could end up cut off from any funding include Farm Share, meals for the elderly and the local arts. "The people that we deal with are the most vulnerable," said Catherine Pendrod of Switchboard of Miami. "The seniors, the families, the people who are the working poor, I don't know what they're going to do."

Galvanizing anger even more are proposed lay-offs to county employees and a five percent salary cut across the board for those who will keep their jobs. It's a budget slashing unlike any other, designed to make up for a $427 million shortfall.

To top it off, Mayor Carlos Alvarez and Commissioner Dennis Moss have caught heat lately for giving raises to members of their staff while endorsing the proposed cutbacks drawn up by the mayor's office.

One day before Miami-Dade County commissioners prepared to face down angry constituents in the first of two contentious budget hearings, Commission Chairman Dennis Moss faced TV cameras defending pay raises for 18 staffers, some of them significant, he said on Wednesday. "I understand the timing was not the best. I'll accept that. I'll admit to that, but again, the timing was based upon trying to get the office up and running," Moss explained.

"We're doing more with less, and there have been already 1200 layoffs," said Robert Akron of the County Employees Union.

"You've cut so many county employees, and then turn around and give raises?" said Claudia del Valle, a protester.

In August, County Commissioners passed the buck by failing to set a preliminary millage rate for homeowners and their properties. Instead, a state formula was used for tax notices sent out, which equaled a hike for many homeowners whose homes have dropped in value since the real estate bust, which began last year.

There will be no getting away from making some kind of decision tonight. Although the decision will not be final, they must either cut programs or raise taxes, which will certainly not please everyone. Commissioner Barbara Jordan at least expressed her priorities before going into the meeting. "My concern is making sure that seniors are taken care of, that they're fed," she said. "We hopefully will not have to lay off 1700 or 3700 employees."

The meeting can be expected to go into the early morning hours of Friday, as commissioners work to come up with some kind of compromise among the proposed budgets that should set a cap to the millage rate for property taxes come the next year. They will set a maximum amount, and then they will have two weeks from this meeting to finally come back with a solid number.

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