Miami Beach commissioners agree to pay $10M demanded by MiamiDade, will come from tourist tax
Nov 14, 2024
Miami Beach commissioners agreed to pay Miami-Dade County $10 million for the county’s homeless trust fund.
In the two-hour meeting at Miami Beach City Hall, commissioners hatched a plan to send the money after being against it last week.
The vote came a few weeks after Miami Beach officials rescinded an item from the November general election ballot that would have authorized a 1% food and beverage tax to support the homeless and victims of domestic violence.
Following that vote, Miami-Dade County commissioners told Miami Beach officials to find a way to cough up the millions of dollars that the tax would’ve generated.
Since that county vote and throughout the Thursday meeting, Miami Beach commissioners expressed frustration and said they felt the county was strongarming them for this money.
Still, Miami Beach officials voted in favor of giving the money to the county. They said the money will come from a tourist tax.
Miami Beach Commissioner Joe Magazine, who proposed the idea, applauded the commission for their vote.
“Our mayor and our city commissioners stepped up and provided much-needed funding to the county. However, it is not coming from small businesses. It won’t be borne by our mom-and-pop businesses or the residents that frequent them. This burden is being shifted onto convention and convention center hotels. So we’ve shifted who will be paying for this burden and we are stepping up to address this regional-wide solution,” he said.
The proposal needs to be approved by Miami-Dade Commissioners. That vote is set for next week.