HIALEAH, Fla. — A Hialeah city councilman is proposing a 10% millage reduction that would significantly decrease property taxes for residents — far greater than the 1% cut floated by the interim mayor just two weeks ago.
The proposal comes one day ahead of the city’s first budget reading. Councilman Jesús Tundidor, who is running for mayor, says he’s found the money to make it work by pausing certain city projects.
“This year is a tough year for everyone,” Tundidor said, citing rising costs for electricity, water, sewer and home insurance.
“A 10% reduction in our millage rate and that (equates) to over $200 a year,” he said.
The cut would leave a $13 million gap in the city’s budget. Tundidor says part of that money could be recovered by scaling back on capital improvement projects.
“Identifying certain projects we don’t need, that we don’t need at this moment, that aren’t urgent … hopefully anywhere between 5-6 million dollars,” he added.
The rest, he says, would come from the water and sewer budget — despite Miami-Dade County recently passing along increased fees to Hialeah.
Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Tomás Regalado backed the idea.
“People want tax relief,” Regalado said, adding, “we believe cities should follow the path Hialeah may be taking.”
The proposal also echoes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ push to go further at the state level by eliminating property taxes on primary homes.
“Taxes (are) purely government,” DeSantis said. “I do think these property taxes have pinched a lot of people and I think we have to do something about it.”
Hialeah last lowered its millage rate in 2013, which led to furloughs, pay cuts, closed parks and libraries, the elimination of pensions and the departure of more than 100 first responders — impacts the city is still recovering from.
The first budget reading is scheduled for Wednesday, with a potential vote expected in the coming weeks.
If approved, the changes would take effect in November.
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