Miami-Dade County commissioners approved a nearly $13 billion budget early Friday morning after a meeting that began Thursday evening and stretched until about 4 a.m., capping a budget season marked by weeks of public engagement and debate.
The budget for fiscal year 2025–26 keeps property tax rates flat but includes modest increases in trash fees and water rates, while sparing county bus riders any new transit fares. Commissioners also restored some funding for community-based programs after residents and charity groups voiced concerns about proposed cuts.
Mayor Daniella Levine Cava hailed the outcome as a balanced plan that protects essential services and reflects resident priorities. “I want to thank my colleagues on the Board of County Commissioners for their partnership in passing a fiscally responsible, balanced budget that safeguards essential services and invests in the future of Miami-Dade,” she said in a statement Friday. “This year we faced unprecedented fiscal challenges, yet we worked together to find solutions and preserve funding for programs our residents depend on—like public safety, parks, and transit—and invest in important community priorities, all without raising taxes.”
Levine Cava noted that the county hosted an unprecedented 20 public budget town halls to solicit input and credited those sessions, along with funds returned to the county by constitutional offices, for helping protect cultural programming, senior services, parks, and “critical community programs that provide a lifeline for families.”
“Our budget reflects our shared priorities and values while we continue to build an even more efficient, effective County government that wisely spends each and every taxpayer dollar and ensures Miami-Dade remains resilient and prepared for the future,” she said. “I am proud of the work we accomplished together and confident that this budget will help build a stronger Miami-Dade for all.”
The new budget takes effect October 1, funding public safety, transit, parks, and other essential services for the year ahead.
