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Miami-Dade County Commissioners want to give Miami Springs an early Christmas present by allowing it to annex a big chunk of industrial and commercial land adjacent to it and Doral.
I am not generally opposed to annexation, but I don’t support what appears to be an 11th-hour vote soon that will have a big impact on the County, Miami Springs and Doral, not to mention the property owners in the targeted industrial zone.
Let’s discuss why Miami Springs wants this: adding the industrial and commercial zone is going to add millions of dollars to its tax base. Every city wants that, especially those that don’t have a lot of new revenue streams to bolster their coffers. However, Miami Springs has done nothing to internally grow its tax base for years. They’ve refused to redevelop the few failing commercial areas they have in their City. Why should they be rewarded with this annexation?
While some may argue that this proposed annexation meets the goal of some county commissioners to eventually allow its available land to be absorbed into existing and even new municipalities, a bedroom community like Miami Springs lacks the wherewithal to manage an industrial and commercial area like the one they seek to annex. If the targeted area is to be annexed into an existing city, isn’t Doral a much better fit ?
The timing is also at issue right now. I don’t like the fact that such a big decision is going to be decided by the current board of county commissioners who won’t be there after November because of term limits. That means that the consequences of their actions will be managed by a group of individuals who had nothing to do with the decision. That breeds chaos and uncertainty on the part of residents and it’s not good for business.
Additionally, 15 property owners in the industrial and commercial zone that would be annexed have hired an attorney to voice their concerns. They made several compelling points including that their property taxes will increase by 373% as a result of the change without any improvement in service. Additionally, the impacted property owners have pointed out that they do not get an opportunity to vote on the proposed annexation by Miami Springs. Isn’t this taxation without representation?
So please, with all due respect, hear me out Commissioner Rebeca Sosa, who is sponsoring the upcoming vote on the annexation and who will give up her seat in November because of term limits. Let’s let this one go. Let the new, incoming commission, which will take office in November, review the proposed annexation. Delaying the vote also gives the county commission an opportunity to develop a process for the targeted property owners to vote on whether they want to be annexed and by which city. Everyone wins.
On the proposed annexation of the industrial and commercial zone to Miami Springs, let the newly elected county commission decide.”
If you have any questions please feel free to call me 3053238206
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