Miami-Dade Appropriations Committee Meeting - November 13, 2025
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Miami-Dade Appropriations Committee Meeting - November 13, 2025
The Miami-Dade Appropriations Committee met on November 13, 2025, to consider a full agenda including budget oversight, procurement extensions, and a proposed Community-Based Organization (CBO) Trust Fund. The committee voted on several items, deferred the CBO Trust Fund ordinance, and forwarded most resolutions to the full Board of County Commissioners (BCC) with favorable recommendations.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Multiple speakers, including representatives of Breakthrough Miami and other CBOs, expressed strong support for the CBO Trust Fund (1G1), emphasizing the need for stable funding for human services organizations. Speakers highlighted the impact on youth, families, and vulnerable residents.
- Jacqueline Stryker, a security officer and SEIU 32BJ member, spoke in support of items 3D and 3E, urging approval of the security guard contract extensions.
Discussion Items
- Fiscal Update: Chief Administrative Officer Carla Denise Edwards presented on fiscal headwinds facing the county, including a $64.9 million reduction from HB 7031 (elimination of business rent tax and surtax on commercial leases), which has impacted the Countywide Infrastructure Investment Program (CIIP). She noted the need for new revenue sources and efficiency initiatives.
- Item 2A – Monthly Report on Vacant Positions: Commissioner Regalado pulled the item, expressing concerns about the impact on departments with specialized engineering positions. Administration noted potential workload and misleading information. The item was forwarded.
- Item 3A – CRA Expansion for NW 7th Avenue Corridor: Commissioner Cohen Higgins voiced initial opposition but later supported after a sunshine meeting with Commissioner Bastien. An amendment was adopted to revise boundaries, and the item was forwarded.
- Items 3D and 3E – Security Guard Contract Extensions: Discussion centered on extending contracts three years before expiration. Administration argued it locks in current pricing, ensures service continuity, and avoids a "fire drill" procurement. Some commissioners expressed concern about setting a precedent for non-competitive extensions. Both items were forwarded.
- Item 1G1 – CBO Trust Fund Ordinance: Commissioner McGhee presented the ordinance to create a trust fund funded by a 2% deduction on eligible county purchases. Administration estimated it would generate only $4-5 million annually, far less than the $80 million in CBO funding. Concerns included impact on small businesses, piggybacking, and potential pass-through costs to taxpayers. Commissioner Cohen Higgins advocated for a voter referendum. The item was deferred 60 days to January 2026 for further work.
- Items 2B and 2C – Reports on Legacy CBOs: 2B was withdrawn; 2C was forwarded with a recommendation to merge with 2B at the full BCC.
Key Outcomes
- Deferred: Item 1G1 (CBO Trust Fund) – deferred 5-0 to January 2026 committee meeting.
- Forwarded with favorable recommendation (all 5-0): Items 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A (as amended), 3B, 3C, 3D, 3E, 3F.
- Withdrawn: Items 2B and 2D.
- Approved: Item 6A (minutes) – 5-0.
- Next Steps: The committee recommended that items 2B and 2C be combined at the full BCC. The CBO Trust Fund will be revisited in January after further stakeholder discussions.
Meeting Transcript
So we'll start as we wait for them to arrive on the dais. Madam Clerk, if you could please call the roll. Good morning, Commissioner Gonzalez. Commissioner Milian Orbis. Commissioner Steinberg. Vice Chairwoman Cohen Higgins. Chairwoman Regalado. Present. Two members present. We do not have a quorum. All right. They're coming. Everyone, please find a seat. Thank you. Thank you. Well, I see Commissioner Gonzalez. Madam Clerk. Commissioner Gonzalez. Commissioner Milian Orbes. Commissioner Steinberg. Vice Chairwoman Cohen Higgins. Chairwoman Regalado. Present. Four members present. We have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. All right, with this, we're gonna start our appropriations committee. Um I could please have a moment of silence, and then um we'll have a pledge of allegiance. Thank you. Pledge allegiance to the flag. Thank you, everyone. We have a very full agenda and a lot of speakers, so we're gonna try our best to stay within our time limitations and give everyone the opportunity to speak. Um Mr. Attorney. Yes, good morning, uh, Madam Chair. Uh now would be an appropriate time to open the uh reasonable opportunity for the public to be heard. I just want um to set the ground rules a little because since we have a lot of items and we have the CBO items, excuse me. We also have a presentation that I've requested um from the administration on some fiscal issues. So what we're gonna do is we're gonna take up everything other than IG one, two C and two B. We're gonna leave those um to the end. We have a lot of speakers here on that. So I want to dispense of all the other items. So just in case we lose quorum or we run out of time, uh, we get to everything um that is time sensitive. Um so, Mr. Attorney, if I could bifurcate that. Um, I'm happy to take currently I only have one speaker for 3D, but I'm happy to open um public hearing for everything other than one G1, two C and two D. But first I wanted to see um if my colleagues want to pull any items so that we can set the agenda. Vice Chair Cohen Higgins wants to pull three A. Any other items? Uh three three A as well, madam Chair.
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