MIAMI — Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz is pushing for a bigger budget for her agency, saying it needs more money to keep the community safe.
“Anything less is defunding the police,” Cordero-Stutz said. “I respectfully ask that you fund the budget as submitted.”
Miami-Dade’s sheriff made an impassioned plea to county commissioners Wednesday, arguing that her department’s proposed budget allocation falls short of what she thinks she needs to keep the public safe.
“And will force us to reduce the number of sworn deputies,” Cordero-Stutz added.
A Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said, “The Mayor’s recommended budget assumed flat millage rates and only partially funded part of our requested increase of $93.8 million. We received $50.4 million, leaving a significant shortfall of $43.4 million.
“Our requested budget covers basic needs such as salaries, safety equipment, 54 civilian positions, and academy classes. This shortfall will cause us not to have enough funds to hire deputies during the fiscal year of 2025-26.”
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, speaking Tuesday, acknowledged the county’s ongoing support for law enforcement but said budget realities have changed.
“We increased our investment in law enforcement by 8% on average each year of my administration,” Levine Cava said. “As this board knows, today we are facing a new and difficult fiscal reality.”
That comment came during a news conference in which the mayor announced cuts to the county budget to offset a growing deficit.
“We’re closing a $402 million gap,” she said. “Nearly half of this budget gap is driven by the expansion of county government through the new independent constitutional offices.”
Those offices, established in a 2018 constitutional vote, include MDSO, the supervisor of elections and the tax collector.
Commissioners responded with a range of opinions on the sheriff’s request.
“I think that regardless of the separation of new constitutional offices, the sheriff is the most important,” said Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez.
“These constitutional offices are not a surprise,” added Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez. “This is something that the administration and the county has known since 2018.”
Several county commissioners said Thursday that there is ample time between now and the September budget vote to address what the sheriff’s office describes as a shortfall.
“If we concentrate on necessities, like public safety, it is of course possible,” Gonzalez said. “Obviously, we need to look at what she’s asking for and make sure that these things are necessary.”
Cordero-Stutz also emphasized the broader implications of any cuts.
“This cut also directly impacts our ability to effectively respond to large-scale events, of which we have several on the horizon, to include the World Cup,” she said.
“I believe in safety first, so I’m going to look at it very closely,” Bermudez said. “I’m going to sit down with her and if it merits more money, I’ll be supportive of it.”
“We will take into consideration the sheriff’s recommendations and then we will come up with a budget,” said Commissioner Rene Garcia, “but there’s still a long process ahead of us.”
Shortly after the sheriff addressed the county commission Wednesday, commissioners voted to keep the tax rate used to calculate local property taxes flat.
“Right now, what we just did in Miami-Dade County is set the bar,” Garcia said. “We can go lower, we just can’t go any higher. So right now, it is up to the County Commission to put together that budget.”
Gonzalez said, “I voted no. I think that we need to lower taxes right now. And I think it’s insulting that for so many years, we’ve had the mayor taking on these pet projects and overspending. I think the sheriff needs to get her allocation, and I’m going tell you why: I think that what the county needs to do and what the mayor needs to concentrate on is needs over wants.
“When we’re talking about public safety, public safety is a need. That is the function of government. When we’re talking about things like a heat office, like electric buses, when we’re talking about cultural projects, those are things that are nice to have, but they are not needs.”
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