Miami Voters to Weigh $450 Million Public-Safety Facilities Bond in November: Mayor Backs Rebuilding Police and Fire Facilities as Two Commissioners Oppose Borrowing Costs
Voters in Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida, will decide in November whether the city should borrow $450 million to renovate or replace police and fire facilities. Mayor Eileen Higgins is urging approval of the measure, Referendum 1, arguing that aging buildings threaten emergency response, while Commissioners Damian Pardo and Christine King oppose it, warning that borrowing the money will add costs for taxpayers.
Higgins says the police headquarters is overcrowded and has plumbing, flooding, restroom and electrical problems, and that many fire stations are old and lack room for emergency vehicles. She has also said response times lag in some underserved areas, citing waits of nine to 12 minutes for emergency calls, including heart attacks and strokes, to argue the city cannot afford to delay upgrades. The bond would fund renovations, new facilities and a new public safety headquarters.
Pardo and King agree the facilities need work but question how the city would pay for it. Pardo said residents already facing high costs for essentials such as groceries, rent and gas should not be asked to take on another expense. King said the bond is borrowing that must ultimately be repaid through taxes. (Compiled from The Miami Focal, October 20)
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: Miami 市中心与 Brickell 区实景（2023年12月摄）。图片来源：Wikimedia Commons 文件 Downtown Miami and Brickell, 31 December 2023.jpg，Phillip Pessar 摄，CC BY 2.0 授权
