How should Miami-Dade spend your tax money? Budget meetings, survey seek early feedback

Miami-Dade’s new mayor has launched two early efforts to invite public feedback ahead of this summer’s budget season.

Public budget meetings usually start in August, ahead of final commission votes on the yearly spending plan. Typically, the mayor proposes a detailed, three-volume budget in July.

This year, the administration of Mayor Daniella Levine Cava is holding a series of forums inviting public comment well before a budget is proposed.

“Is it being discussed to make all the bus stops covered in the near future?” Eric Egana, a Miami resident, asked in the first online forum Monday night.

Budget administrators didn’t have an answer, but said they would pass on the feedback as the 2022 spending plan is written. “We used to have these conversations in August, when 90% of the budget was already cooked,” said Ryan Elliott, an administrator in the county’s budget office.

The budget meetings start at 6 p.m. at Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and are conducted exclusively online.

Levine Cava also launched an online questionnaire on county issues. Called “Thrive305,” the survey asks questions about housing, COVID-19, transportation and other issues. It can be found at thrive305.org and is open through Friday, Feb. 26.

This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 3:34 PM.