Criticisms of PMG report

link to the PMG report and a few criticisms

The County report on Incorporation and Annexation is out. If you want to download the entire report, about 200 pages you may do so by going to this link https://www.miamidade.gov/incorporationandannexation/home.asp the pdf report is located at the bottom of the web page. It downloads in about 10 seconds (assuming a download speed of approx 100mps) Please take the time to read, at least, the summaries of this report. This directly affects all of us who still live in unincorporated areas of Dade County. At first glance - I would like to see the reasoning behind some of the conclusions that were made. For example....

1. Why do they recommend that the Community Council members positions all be APPOINTED by the Commissioners while transitioning into tony new cities? It seems to me that removing a currently ELECTED body of representatives with appointees is not serving the will of the people at all.
AND if the existing councils were given all the responsibilities that they were originally MEANT to have, we probably wouldn't even need to be discussing incorporation at all.

2. When was this report given to our Mayor and Commission(it was due out in July) and what editing took place prior to it being released? Why are there so many blank pages at the end of the report?

3. How were the financials arrived at? Especially since the chair of the current budget committee already stated that, "...the County has historically tapped into the municipal services area (UMSA ), which projects a substantial annual surplus. The Commission has an absolute duty to protect the integrity of UMSA revenue. The continued use of UMSA revenue to support countywide operations is a disservice to the residents of unincorporated Miami-Dade and an impediment to the growth of those communities."

This shell game has been going on for so long. So how is it then that this report is telling us that, as areas incorporate into cities, UMSA will need to be supported by city taxes? ....That remaining areas taxes will need to be substantially raised to keep the minimal service levels afloat? Could it possibly be that the smaller UMSA areas will STILL be expected to provide more than their fair share to the countywide coffers? It seems this could only come to pass if cities were allowed to gut UMSA of all its high tax value assets. Something smells fishy.

4. So....this report recommends that we keep our current County structure, even when ALL of Dade County is incorporated....all incorporated EXCEPT for the area outside the Urban Development Boundary. Of course we will still need our Mayor, Commissioners, and all the personnel downtown to support their EXTENSIVE responsibilities of overseeing the airports, seaports, AND all the UNDEVELOPED property outside the UDB. Why can't we just have a council made up of a number of Mayors from the new cities to oversee the few items left for the County level representatives to oversee? I sure hope no one from the Commission even mentions how they deserve more than $6,000 a year to hold their office if all this comes to pass. ($850,000 perks could use some major trimming as well).

Will removing this level of government completely cause us to lose our Home Rule privileges?

5. Where were the funds used to pay PMG for this study taken from?

I have more "issues" but this is enough for now. Everyone needs to weigh in on this report to the Mayor and the Commission. What issues do others see in this? Tell us what you think also.

Debbie