On June 1, 2022, the Miami-Dade County Property Appraiser released the 2022 June 1st Estimates of Taxable Values, which reflect a countywide increase of 10.2% over 2021.
In the City of North Miami Beach, property assessment values are expected to increase by 10.5% from $3,665,481,696 to $4,027,000,000 for existing properties, plus an additional $23,000,000 for new construction in 2022.
On the Agenda for the North Miami Beach City Commission Meeting scheduled for June 21, 2022, City Manager Arthur “Duke” Sorey is recommending to keep the current millage rate of 6.2000, which means you will pay $6.20 in taxes for every $1,000 of your property assessment.
In addition, there is currently a debt service millage rate of .5740, which is used to pay the principal and interest on the outstanding municipal bonds owed by the City.
Assuming the City doesn’t borrow any more money, the total debt decreases each year, thus decreasing the debt service millage rate. This year, the debt service millage rate will be .5322 for 2022, or 0.0396 less than last year. Duke will probably take credit for this negligible decrease even though he has nothing to do with it.
According to Duke’s proposal, your total millage rate, including debt service, for 2022 will actually be 6.7322.
He is also recommending the following two dates for the first and second budget hearings:
September 13, 2022
6:00 PM
City of North Miami Beach
17011 NE 19th Avenue
Julius Littman Performance Arts Theater
North Miami Beach, FL 33162
September 27, 2022
5:30 PM
City of North Miami Beach
17011 NE 19th Avenue
Julius Littman Performance Arts Theater
North Miami Beach, FL 33162
Now let’s take a look at how all of this will affect your wallet.
If your property was assessed (after homestead exemptions, if applicable) at $300,000 in 2021, for example, $2,032.20 of your property taxes went to the City of North Miami Beach.
This year your property is expected to be assessed at approximately $330,000, which means your total tax debt to the City will increase to $2,221.63, or an additional $189.43.
While that may not seem like a lot of money, the municipal millage rate only approximately 30% of your total property tax bill. The remaining 70% of your taxes goes to pay School Board millages, regional millages, including the South Florida Water Management District, Everglades and Lake Okeechobee restoration projects, and countywide millages, including debt service and Fire & Rescue.
In 2021, the total millage rate for North Miami Beach property owners was 22.1673. Thus, the total tax bill on your $300,000 property was $6,650.19.
After the 2022 increase in assessed value, and under Duke Sorey’s proposed 2022 millage rate, your new tax bill will be $7,301.42, or an increase of $751.23.
And that’s assuming the School Board, the County and regional millage rates will not be increased for this year, which is highly unlikely.
Here’s the thing.
Duke Sorey does not have to raise your taxes.
He wants to.
If he cared about the taxpayers of North Miami Beach, he can exercise his option to recommend the roll-back rate of 5.6114 mills, which will keep your property taxes about the same as last year.
A September 7, 2012 FlaglerLive.com article explains, “Under the law in Florida and a few other states, if a local government adopts the roll-back rate, that government is not increasing taxes, even if the rate itself increases. That’s because the roll-back rate calculates taxable property values in relation to the total revenue they generate for a government. If the tax rate generates the same total revenue one year as it did in the previous year, then the rolled-back rate has been applied.”
In fact, in a June 1, 2022 press release, Miami-Dade Property Appraiser Pedro J. Garcia announced, “The countywide estimated taxable value for 2022 is $372.3 billion, an increase of over $34 billion or 10.2% when compared to 2021.”
He added, “I’m glad to see we have a strong real estate market. However, I am concerned for the average homeowner. With an increase of over $34 billion in taxable value, most homeowners will see an increase in their property taxes. I urge all taxing authorities, such as the cities, county and school board, to reduce their millage rates in order to help the average homeowner. A small reduction of 3% in the tax rate can make the difference between a tax increase and no increase for homeowners.”
Unlike the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser, Duke Sorey does not care about the average homeowner.
He can’t even be bothered to answer your phone calls or emails, much less give a damn if you can’t afford your property taxes.
Duke Sorey needs to pad the revenue side of his proposed budget to pay for the excessive self-promotional special events, campaign-like promotional items, gift card giveaways, rent and mortgage “assistance” programs, and “free” home improvement grants for Family & Friends to please his four bosses, Criminal Commissioners Michael Joseph, McKenzie Fleurimond, Paule Villard, and Daniela Jean.
Duke and his Criminal bosses also like to travel extensively around the country, while being transported in limousines to and from their expensive hotel rooms, all on taxpayer dime.
Duke Sorey answers only to the Criminal Commissioners so that he can keep his overpaid job.
While giving you, the taxpayers, the middle finger.
We’d suggest that you attend the Commission meeting and budget hearings, speak at Public Comment, and tell the Mayor and Commission to lower the millage rate, but we already know how that will go.
Duke and the Criminals already decided on the millage rate to cover their budget needs months ago.
The only reason they’re even holding budget hearings is because they are required to do so by Florida Law.
But make no mistake — the outcome has been predetermined.
Your only hope of saving North Miami Beach from complete financial destruction is to vote out Criminal Commissioner Paule Villard and elect a quality candidate in the seat being vacated by the outgoing Commissioner Barbara Kramer this November.
Or, you can just stay home, keep the status quo, pay more taxes while getting nothing in return, and watch your City go to hell in a handbasket.
“The government you elect is the government you deserve.” ― Thomas Jefferson
Stephanie
