Miami September 1st 2009
Fair Property Tax For All the organization that spearheaded last weeks property tax protest throughout Miami Dade County has released it’s 10 Steps to Taxpayer Emancipation in Miami Dade County in advance of Thursday’s budget hearing. «The current situation regarding the county budget and property taxes is unsustainable» said Dr. Jose Valladares President of Fair Property Tax for ALL, adding «thousands of families have had to pare their budgets its only far that the county government do the same and bring significant property tax relief to all.» Dr. Valladres and other members of Fair Property Tax for All will present the 10 Steps to Taxpayer Emancipation to each county commissioner at Thursdays budget hearing.
10 Steps to Taxpayer Em ancipation in Miami-Dade County
Miami Dade County’s Budget is currently out of control and residents are suffering financially from abusive and confiscatory property taxes. In20the midst of this crisis, concrete steps must be taken to significantly reduce the county budget and cut property taxes. The following basic steps are specifically designed to avert the total ruin of our county and our families’ livelihood.
1. REDUCE COUNTY SALARIES. Mayor Carlos Alvarez proposed a meager 5% across the board pay cut for all county employees. Miami-Dade County employees salaries are the highest in Florida in comparison with other government entities, including the State. A tiered pay cut from 3% to 35%, starting at 3% for employees earning $40,000 and ending at 35% for the highest paid employee is needed. Here’s one example of how Miami Dade County Salaries are out of touch with reality, the Miami Dade County Attorney makes approximately $400,000 the Attorney General of the United States makes under $200,000 (less than many Assistant County Attorneys).
2. CAP COUNTY SALARIES. County employee salaries should b e capped at $180,000 and indexed for inflation (no automatic pay increases). Salaries should be capped depending on the required skills of the job and not based on longevity. Civil service positions should be held by citizens committed to serving their community, not milking it.
3. REDUCE COUNTY AUTO ALLOWANCES. Auto reimbursements must be significantly reduced to fit the employees actual use of their own personal vehicles for county purposes. This should never include driving to and from work.
4. REDUCE COUNTY EMPLOYEE NUMBERS. The number of county employees must be reduced by at least 10% in real and existing jobs without shuffling positions or filling «unfilled» vacancies.
5. ALLOW COMPETITION IN TRANSIT. Competitive privatization of certain county services and specifically allowing for more competition in transportation, with the intent of reducing the size of the counties transit department, while at the same time improving public transportation for residents.
6. REDUCE CONTRACTS. Review all existing contracts with outside vendors and demand a minimum 10% reduction if vendor wishes to continue doing business with Miami Dade County
7-REDUCE COMMISSIONERS OFFICE BUDGETS. Currently commissioners receive $1 million annually to operate their offices we propose that it be reduced to $500,000 annually and indexed for inflation. We also demand the elimination of the $727, 000 discretionary fund for each com missioner. These discretionary funds amount to political patronage used to curry favors, which makes any electoral challenge of an incumbent commissioner Quixotic at best.
8. REDUCE MAYOR’S OFFICE BUDGET. Reduce the Mayor’s and Manager’s office budgets by 50%. President Barack Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel makes $173,000 a year, while Miami Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez’s Chief of Staff makes $206,000. This comparison is indicative of the inflated salaries within the county’s executive staff.
10. END PERFORMING ARTS CENTER FUNDING. It is unconscionable to take much-needed money from working families and seniors citizens to fund an expensive performing arts center that they have neither the time (because they are working to pay high taxes) or the money to attend. Like a ny other business, the Performing Arts Center should pa y for itself, or close.
The Mayor and Commissioners are elected to execute their job on behalf of the People. Today, they need to take immediate steps to implement these changes, reduce the budget and, in turn, reduce property taxes.
To continue down a path of unsustainable bloated budgets, an over-paid bureaucracy, and abusive, confiscatory property taxes will inevitably result in financial disaster for Miami-Dade businesses; economic ruin for Miami-Dade working families; and ultimate bankruptcy for Miami Dade County Government.
The Mayor and Commissioners should take into account that the current state of Miami Dade County resembles more
19th century Russian serfdom than anything the founders of this great nation ever envisioned.
We demand that property taxes be lowered significantly now! We20will be tireless in this cause.
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El Noticiero de Alvarez Galloso 