SPTX RATES - INCREASE STREET LIGHTING

Board of County Commissioners · 2026-07-21 · ordinance

Ordinance approving, adopting and ratifying non-ad valorem assessment rolls, rates and assessments for 219 certain street lighting special taxing districts in Miami-Dade County, Florida for fiscal year October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The ordinance was adopted on final action on July 21, 2026, after being deferred from June 16, 2026 and June 2, 2026, and adopted on first reading on May 5, 2026. The total assessment for these 219 districts with proposed rate increases is $1,984,910. These 219 districts consist of 24,890 folios, of which 23,565 folios are increasing by less than $50.00 for the year. The rate increases are necessary to cover utility rate increases approved by the Public Service Commission and contractual inflationary costs. Some districts have depleted their developer deposits or carryover, and proposed rates represent the districts' true operational and administrative cost. Failure to approve these rates may result in suspension of services or accrued interest applied for lack of payment to the utility company. The ordinance was requested by Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces. The staff recommendation is to approve the ordinance. The fiscal impact is countywide but only for homeowners within the boundaries of one or more special taxing districts. The county is currently responsible for 1,103 active special taxing districts: 957 street lighting districts, 24 security guard districts, 120 multipurpose maintenance districts, and 2 capital improvement/road maintenance districts. The special assessments are levied on a front-footage basis for street lighting services. The ordinance includes provisions for the assessments to constitute a special assessment lien upon real property, to be collected in the same manner as ad valorem taxes, and to become effective ten days after enactment unless vetoed by the Mayor. The ordinance is excluded from the Code of Miami-Dade County. The most recent audit conducted for FY 2024 resulted in no adverse findings.