Commissioners Approved a $3.7 Billion Miami City Budget
The spending plan includes controversial, last-minute amendments and sets the stage for a November bond vote.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in City Hall
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Miami residents will see a total city budget of $3.7 billion after commissioners approved the spending plan during a final, 53-minute hearing. The package includes over $10 million in distributed personnel savings and restored festival funding.
Why it matters
The budget determines how the city manages its $1.3 billion General Fund and addresses a $1.8 billion backlog of unfunded capital projects. Residents face a pivotal follow-up decision this fall regarding a proposed $450 million municipal bond.
The city approved a $3.7 billion budget with property tax rates held at 7.3616 mills, generating an expected $691 million in tax revenue. Unresolved remains the impact of last-minute amendments for which the public had no prior review.
The players
Miami City Commission
The five-member governing body that approved the city's $3.7 billion budget.
The details
Commissioners authorized the budget after reviewing amendments that were only provided to them on the day of the final vote. These changes directed $10.5 million in savings from vacant or frozen positions across city departments and restored $3.43 million for local festivals. While the city addresses these operating expenses, a separate $450 million general obligation bond measure is pending for the November 3 ballot.
Timeline
September 23, 2026: City officials finalized the budget amendment documents.
September 24, 2026: Commissioners received the final amendments and held a 53-minute hearing.
November 3, 2026: Miami voters will decide on a $450 million bond authorization.
Beyond the 305
Florida's Sunshine Law mandates that citizens have meaningful access to government records before officials cast their votes. By distributing budget amendments only on the day of the hearing, the city process marks a departure from that standard of transparency.
Your property tax rate remains locked at 7.3616 mills under this new budget. You should monitor the November 3 ballot, where the city will ask you to authorize $450 million in additional borrowing for capital projects.
The takeaway
Transparency remains a critical issue for local government operations when significant funding decisions bypass public review. Watch the upcoming November bond election for the next major shift in the city's financial outlook.
What happens next
Voters are set to weigh in on a $450 million general obligation bond on November 3, 2026.
Further reading
Keep track of local government spending and commission activity on the City Hall page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Coconut Grove Spotlight.
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