FYI Miami: February 6, 2025

Below are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.

BUILDING JOBS: Miami-Dade’s unemployment rate rose to 2.5% in December while construction employment hit a record high. Unemployment was 2.4% in November, 2.2% in October and 2.1% in September. In December 2023 the jobless rate was 1.6%. Statewide, unemployment has been at 3.4% for the past two months. Miami-Dade’s booming construction industry had 8.8% more jobs in December than in December 2023 as the industry’s employment hit its highest mark ever with 64,500 workers. A decade ago, in December 2024, construction employment in the county was 38,500 workers, according to figures from the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

SERVICE FEE LIMIT SOUGHT: As Miami-Dade wrestles with a supplier’s 13.7% increase in processing fees to charges for county residents to pay water bills by credit and debit cards, county commissioners without discussion approved a resolution to urge the state legislature to impose limits on the service fee charges imposed by financial institutions or credit card companies for the use of credit and debit cards for payments made to local government entities. The resolution documentation does not mention the water bill payment fee increase by county supplier ACI Payments Inc., which raised the so-called convenience fee without commission approval after a long-term contract with the county expired. Commissioner Raquel Regalado sponsored the resolution seeking state action.

SOCCER TRANSPORTATION: Miami-Dade County is preparing transit operations now for the six FIFA Football Club World Cup games June 14-25 at Hard Rock Stadium. “We’re working with the FIFA officials to ensure locations are available for movement of patrons, passengers, visitors, officials, teams,” said Javier Bustamante, transit system assistant director for project management and support services. “We’ve been meeting with them and ensuring that as part of the county as the host that those services are available.” What won’t be available is the planned Metrorail leg to Hard Rock Stadium – at best, transportation officials say, the unfunded but planned Metrorail link won’t be available until 2037.

BLACK HISTORY MUSEUM: After a task force last year called for putting a state Black history museum in St. Johns County, Sen. Tom Leek of Ormond Beach filed a bill to move the idea forward. The bill would create a Florida Museum of Black History Board of Directors, which would work with the Foundation for the Museum of Black History Inc., a non-profit, to help create the museum.