Four Miami-Dade municipalities may be expanding

MIAMI – Four Miami-Dade municipalities may be expanding. County commissioners met Thursday about a proposal to split up part of unincorporated Miami-Dade County that’s mostly industrial and commercial land.

Some mayors and city officials say this annexation makes sense and that it will provide services such as fire rescue, police and more.

Meanwhile, some business owners are saying this is going to be a burden on taxes and that it’s unfair and unamerican.

“It’s less the money to me than it is the way that this has been gone about, it’s the most undemocratic process I’ve ever seen,” said Jeffrey Kluger, a business owner.

Kluger owns businesses in an area that will potentially be annexed by Miami Springs. They employ around 150 people, and he’s upset saying his taxes are going to increase dramatically.

“I don’t blame the nice people of Miami Springs if I was handed a freebie, I’d take it too, this is major money for them!” said Kluger.

The municipalities effected are Doral, Miami Springs, Medley and Virginia Gardens. Those annexations will split up mostly industrial land in unincorporated Miami-Dade.

Miami Springs Mayor Maria Puente Mitchell says that she’s happy with this move and their taxes will not increase.

“What they’re basing that on is our current mileage rate and our current mileage rate is high but our current mileage rate precisely because we don’t have the industrial commercial components to lower the mileage rate like other cities like Doral has,” said Mitchell.

City leaders say this will offer them more services, like police, fire rescue and more.

 Chairman Jose Pepe Diaz says this has been a four-city agreement that’s been going on for 18 years.

“Simply these annexations have been taking force Miami gardens got a big chunk of commercial area and other places too so if you’re going to be fair for one, you’re going to be fair for everybody. That’s the reason I’m supportive,” he said.

While business owners fear higher taxes and another layer of government, Diaz says business owners need to sit down with the cities.

“Find ways to mitigate and do things that helps you, because eventually this whole county is going to get annexed or incorporated eventually,” said Diaz.

What was passed Thursday is the first step, a four-city interlocal agreement. It’s now going to the next process, which means they will work with the county to come up with ordinance.