Sunshine State Update
Miami Herald Front Page: Ad Error Sets Off Budget Do Over.
Proposed Tax levy in Miami Dade County was printed as $1,371,585,000, should have been $1,440,164,250. The smaller amount is the estimate of what will finally be collected after adjustments of assessments and delinquencies on real estate property. The more realistic number for budget purposes is the smaller of the two numbers.
Tax bills have been sent out. No changes will be made to individual bills.
The budgeting review process started months ago and ended when the old commission passed the budget and established the millage rate. Legal ads were published with the smaller incorrect number and the State of Florida pointed out the error and is requiring the budget approval process to be repeated or they could withhold some funds.
New commissioners were elected. Will the clerical error mean really new budget hearings making more changes to the budget within the $1,371,585,000? Or will the error be noted, the legal ad amended and no changes made.
The article notes that similar mistakes have been made by counties in Florida regularly and usually the State of Florida did nothing because the difference in the numbers did not affect materially what was being disclosed. Unanswered is what is different this year? What score is being settled?
The budget hearings were televised, union contracts were hammered out, not everybody got what they wanted and a slight tax increase to save local libraries passed.
The three responsible folks in the budget office were suspended from their jobs without pay for 1,3,and 5 days respectively. Jennifer Moon, Budget Director will also be required to pay for rerunning the legal ad in the Miami Herald out of her own pocket: cost $12,000.
Ouch!
Proposed Tax levy in Miami Dade County was printed as $1,371,585,000, should have been $1,440,164,250. The smaller amount is the estimate of what will finally be collected after adjustments of assessments and delinquencies on real estate property. The more realistic number for budget purposes is the smaller of the two numbers.
Tax bills have been sent out. No changes will be made to individual bills.
The budgeting review process started months ago and ended when the old commission passed the budget and established the millage rate. Legal ads were published with the smaller incorrect number and the State of Florida pointed out the error and is requiring the budget approval process to be repeated or they could withhold some funds.
New commissioners were elected. Will the clerical error mean really new budget hearings making more changes to the budget within the $1,371,585,000? Or will the error be noted, the legal ad amended and no changes made.
The article notes that similar mistakes have been made by counties in Florida regularly and usually the State of Florida did nothing because the difference in the numbers did not affect materially what was being disclosed. Unanswered is what is different this year? What score is being settled?
The budget hearings were televised, union contracts were hammered out, not everybody got what they wanted and a slight tax increase to save local libraries passed.
The three responsible folks in the budget office were suspended from their jobs without pay for 1,3,and 5 days respectively. Jennifer Moon, Budget Director will also be required to pay for rerunning the legal ad in the Miami Herald out of her own pocket: cost $12,000.
Ouch!
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