HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1974-10-10 MinutesY OIF. MlAN-
4OMMISSION
MINUTES
SPECIAL BUDGET PUBLIC NEARING- (F nat)
OF MEETING HELD ON October 10, 1974 - 7:30 O'C.eoc►Z P.M.
Budget 11eanting 06
PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
CITY HALL
H. D. SOUTHERN
CITY CLERK
RALPH G. ONGIE
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING
CITY COMMISSION OP MIAMI, FLORIDA
On the 10th day o6 0etobeh, 1974, the City Commission of
Miami, Flon.ida met at .its hegutah meeting pea at City Hatt in
Said City .fin SPECIAL SESSION to contidet the proposed appnoprtat.ion
otdtnance ion the City of Miami £on iiSca.t year 1974-1975.
The meeting was cat td to onde. at 7:50 O'Ctoeh P.M. with the
Ottomans members of the Commission present:
Comm.iss4ionen
Commisstonen
Commtssionet
Commtss.ioneh.
ABSENT: Mayok MaunLee
ALSO PRESENT:
J. L. P.tummen
Rose Gordon
Mano.Co Reboso, Vtee Mayon
(Rev.) Theodore Gibson
A. Fenne
P. W. Andrews, City Manager
A. R. Cnoueh, Assistant City Manager
John S. Ltoyd, City Attorney
H. D. Southern, City Ctenh
Ralph G. Ong.ie, Assistant City Cee.nh
Mr. Andrews: Mr. Vice Mayor and members of the Commission, I will
read in for the record the purpose of this meeting.
Notice of Tax Increase of the City of Miami, Florida, proposes to
increase your property taxes. A public hearing on the increase
will be held on October loth, 1974 and this is the second meeting
that we have had of this nature, the first being on October 7th
at 5 P.M. This meeting is at 7:30 P.M. et City Hall, Commission
Chambers, located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida.
This is required by State Statue in that the City of Miami is
increasing its taxes for operation over the operating millage.
However, at the same time, the total taxes for the City of Miami
which the property owner is most concerned, this represents a
total decrease to the entire City.
In other words, as we will demonstrate in a moment, we will show
to you and then you will have the privilege of asking questions,
and demonstrate that the City of Miami will receive less tax
revenues in the coming year from the people residing and owning
businesses within the City, less tax dollars this coming year
than in the current year that just went by.
Would you mount the charts and face them toward the audience
because the City Commission has copies in typewritten form and we
will use those to explain tie City of Miami Budget.
The first chart is the budget comparison chart. The figures
speak for themselves and I won't go through each figure but, I will
note that the total budget for 1973-74, which is in 73,039.89. That
was the budget for last year. The new budget for 1974-75 that is
being considered by the City Commission will require an expenditure
of 84 million 855 thousand dollars. That increase is principally
represented in several items. #1 is a cost of living increase,
salary adjustment for employees. That represents 412 million dollars.
There was an approximate 3 million dollars increase in pension
benefits for employees. The rest is made up of increases throughout
various departments and one additional increase representing about
250 thousand dollars or slightly less is for the continued expansion
of our street lighting program in providing sodium vapor lighting
program to provide sodium lighting so that is a comparison of last
years budget and this years budget.
The, next chart is a comparison of tax millages. Rather than
try to carry you through each one of those figures, there are just
a few that l will bring to your attention. In 1973-74, we had an
operating millage of 9.655 and the revenues produced from tax sources
was 22,962,428.00 and debt service was 3.781 mills which produced
8,992,330.00, The sum of those two figures represented the tax
millage last year was 13.436.
1 OCT 101974
We received tax revenues, tax income to operate the City government
at 31,954,758,00 and that total taxes represented about 40% of all
of the monies that the City receives to operate the entire city
government. Now in the new year, recognizing that the existing
properties within the City of Miami have increased in assessments
for the entire city by 21%. All of the properties in the City of
Miami were re -assessed and were increased by 21%.
The City Commission in their deliberations over the budget have
made it possible to levy a millage, a proposed millage that they
are going to take under consideration for the last time tonight,
of 10.880 mills and when you multiply that times the new tax base
by 21%, it will produce $31,352,987.00 of tax revenues from existing
properties. You can see that it is slightly than the tax revenues
from same properties from the prior year so it means that city wide
the properties that paid taxes last year, those same properties paying
taxes this year are going to be paying less taxes than last year.
I want to make that point Very clear because the Commission is
considering a millage reduction here in a sufficient amount to
produce less tax revenues than we did the prior year.
The reason that these meetings had to be called, was that a
portion of the millage for this coming year, there are two figures
there that make up the 10.880 and they are made up of an operating
millage of 8.569 and debt service of 2.311. Now that 8.569 millage
exceeds the certified millage by .182 mills and the real purpose
then of this meeting is to acquaint the public of this increase in
operating millage but really a decrease in the total millage but
the state law is written so that is affects the operating millage,
not the total millage was the real purpose and need to hold this
meeting.
Mr. Mayor and members of the Commission, I want to re-emphasize
that the monies that we receive from tax revenues represents
approximately 40% of the total operating costs of our city government
and about 60% of the 8411 million dollars will come from other sources
such as licenses, fees, and other areas that we receive revenue such
as federal revenue sharing, state revenue sharing which make up the
bulk of the additional monies that we receive.
Mr. Mayor, we are ready for questions from the public.
Mayor Ferre: All right, are there any questions from the public at
this time? Yes Sir, Mr. Fine. Lets see if there are any questions
first and then I will accept statements. Are there any questions
from the Manager or from the Commission? On the proposed budget as
submitted to you tonight? If not, are there comments to be made
on the budget? All right, Mr. Fine.
Mr. Fine: For the record, my name is Martin Fine. I live at 58
Samantha Drive, Bay Heights, Miami.
It;s obvious to me as an interested taxpayer, that there is no
possible way of changing anything that the Manager or the Commission
wants to do with the budget at this late hour. Rather the purpose
of my comments is to raise some points which I hope will have some
benefits to the Commission and to the community for the coming year
because the budget process by its very nature in my opinion does not
lend itself to any changes at this type of a hearing.
I frankly don't have much reason to hope that any change will
take place because the first item that I want to raise is now being
raised for the 5th consecutive year and for the 5th consecutive year
nothing has been done about it so I think I will just wait one more
time and then go to Court and see if I can get that straightened out.
I would like to raise it tonight.
In terms of some of the 60% of the monies that the City
receives from other sources, part of that is fsom fees and franchises,
and the first one I would like to bring to your attention is your
Ordinance No. 3087 which deals with Southern Bell Telephone Franchise
Tax. Now that was passed in 1947 or 46 and in my opinion for all those
years has never been properly enforced by virtue of the fact that it
contains a provision that the City will collect 1% of the annual gross
receipts of the company from rentals derived from telephones used
within the corporate limits of the City. I have asked the City Attorney
on 5 consecutive and the Manager to look into that and let me as a
taxpayer know if they are collecting it.
2 0CT101974
I want to charge the City Contnission with being derelict in its
duty these past 5 years for not collecting it and the Manager
being derelict in not forcing the City Attorney to follow through.
Mayor Ferre: Let me stop you on that right now. You have
brought this up before.
Why hasn't something been done to at least answer?
Mr. Andrews: To my knowledge, and based on prior opinions that
we have and i recognize that there is a difference of opinion
between what Mr. Pine is presenting and views that the City has
had, and perhaps maybe a test case should be made to settle that
once and for all but we believe Mr. Fine that we are following
the ordinance and our interpretation of the ordinance.
It's my ambition that when the City hopefully begins its negot-
iations for the adoption of a new franchise with the phone company
that we won't write quite the kild of ordinance that you have had
to struggle with in the past 5 years in bringing this explanation
to the Commission, it will be an entirely different approach.
Mr. Fine: Well just in response to that, May I say that I am
not ascribing the blame of the poor ordinance to you or to Mr.
Llpyrl the City Attorney. I think it is very discouraging as a
taxpayer for me to have my files a letter dated October 1970 and
still not having got an answer for it and raised it every year.
I think there is money that is due and owing the City because in
my mind, a first year law student would know, that this language
says that you can collect money for long distance phone calls.
The City's contention is, I mean the telephone company's contention
is that it is in violation of interstate commerce but it's very
simple if they were to prevail in that, they certainly aren't
entitled to that benefit in my opinion on calls made within the
state of Florida. Now if you measure all the phone calls made
from Miami and the City Commission Chambers or the City Commission
itself to Tallahassee, you would get an idea of how many dollars
you are talking about and in my opinion you all ought to file that
suit or you ought to look into it. Pardon me, let me retract that.
I think you ought to look into it and see if you have a basis on
which to file it and if you don't, I would be grateful if you
write me a letter, as a taxpayer and tell me why you don't want to
file it.
Mayor Ferre: Its not the question of pursuit, its the question
of enforcing it. Either that or changing the law.
Mr. Fine: Well let me say, I think it is late in the game to
change the ordinance. They have a 30 year ordinance and its up
in 1976 so Mr. Andrews is certainly far sighted in saying that
when its written again, he will clarify it, but I don't think we
are barred Mr. Lloyd by the statute of limitations for a good long
time in this suit in terms of going back several years.
Mr. Lloyd: We can at least go back a certain number of years
if we are entitled -
Mrs. Gordon: Why wouldn't we be entitled?
Mayor Ferre: Why hasn't it been answered, is my question?
Why hasn't this matter that has been brought up for 5 years in
a row not been answered?
Mr. Andrews: I thought that It had been adequately answered.
We had gotten opinions that while there is a difference of opinion
between Mr. Fine and other City Attorneys, the answer was that we
were following the ordinance and that it was producing the funds
that it should produce.
Mr. Fine: Mr. Mayor, in order not to take the time of this Commission,
i,want 'to make it clear that I don't ascribe any ill motives to
anybody.
OCT 101974
I think that frankly, if you don't mind me saying so, I think
a lot of people working for the City do the best job they can
and they kind of look at people like myself as hecklers down
at a buda'-t committee hearing ani pay no attention to them and
that's :why people don't generall( come to these budget committee
hearings, but I would just think that a citizen mould be entitled
to an answer in writing because I am going to give you another
example of one you didn't do again.
Mayor Ferre: Not until we get through this one.
I would like on the record Mr. Andrews to request you and the
City Attorney in writing to give Mr. Fide an answer and I would
like itcbne in the next 2 weeks.
Mr. Andrews: I realize that I am responsible for the things that
occur in the City Manager's Office but very frankly, I wasn't
aware that you had a piece of correspondence that was un-answered.
Mayor Ferre: From 1970 is a long time.
Mr. Fine: And I have been consistently writing the same thing
and I have copies of it and I again ascribe no ill motives.
Mayor Ferre: Mr.Fine, would you send me a copy of your correspondence?
Mr. Fine: I will give it to you right here. And by the way, I
learned from a previous experience that the thing to do is to
send it by certified mail which I did and I have the receipt.
412 - On page 10 of the report and by the way, I think by
and large, this is an outstanding report, the Manager sets forth
that you have engaged a national firm to help the city in terms
of developing certain new departments and one of them is the
Department of Human Resources. I would suggest to you that
generally speaking Human Resources leads to solving human needs
problems and that basically these are better solved on a
metropolitan basis than an imaginary political boundary and I
think that the City is biting off more than it should in asking
the City taxpayer in effect, to get involved in a program that by
and large should be handled on a county -wide basis.
Mayor Ferre: You better explain that Paul.
Mr. Andrews: I am sorry, I think that is perhaps a nomenclature
that was used by the consultants who were assisting us and maybe
we should change the name.
Human Resources as it is described here was to provide all of the
in-house services rendered to the city employees. Examination
processes, everything to do with pensions and all matters dealing
with employees, would then he centered in one department.
Mr. Fine: I think that's a great idea but you sure couldn't
tell that from reading the budget.
Mr. Andrews: I can appreciate that.
Mayor Ferre: We value your opinion, and Rose, don't get upset
now, I am just wanting Marty's opinion on this.
We have gotten into some social services in this City. One of
the questions that keeps coming up is whether or not for example
on Day Care Centers, we should; it's not a matter of whether we
have the obligation, I think we have the obligation and we accept
that, of funding some of these programs, the question is
should we administer them?
What's your opinion?
Mr. Fine: I want to tell you -
Mrs. Gordon; May I add some information before you give your
opinion? First of all, the kind of program the Mayor is referring
to in a rather vague way is not what it seems. The kind of program
that we are offering to people is a Day -Care within our Parks System
operating through our Parks and Rec. Department and it operates not
just for low income,; the first time that you are going to have
children of all socio-economic levels learning, playing, being
together.
4
OCT 101974
For this reason, we must continue this program. It's operating
already. Ready to open at 3 of our locations within a couple
weeks. We have an exoellertt administrator. She has hired an
excellent staff and we are ready to go. To stop at this point
in time would be a detriment to the citizens of the City of Miami
and a detriment to the mothers who are looking forward to using
this program and for us to give it to the County and then say its
only for low income which is what the county's programs are, would
not service the middle -income person who needs it so desperately
today to make it go.
Mayor Ferre: Now give me your opinion, now that you know what it
is. The question is.- Should we administer such a program or
the County?
Mr. Fine: My opinion is that Ro.e is right for the need for the
service but its obvious to me th,it since you don't limit to residents
of the City of Miami, to the best. of my knowledge, that the County
should pay for it and this is one of the problems we have in any
program which has a transitory nature to it, that you don't require
anyone coming to that program so say they are a resident of the
City so you are in effect helping county families at my expense
as a taxpayer and I think it's inappropriate.
Mrs. Gordon: Marty, it does. You are Supposed to be a resident
of the City of Miami.
Mr. Fine: No one ever asked anybody just as they don't people
from all over Cutler Ridge to come down and ride at Dinner Key Park
here and they are riding on our pathways which we pay for in the
City and when we ride on she pathways of Matheson Hammock, we pay
for them in the County and part of the thrust of what I want to
share with you tonight, I think the City of Miami taxpayer is
getting it in the neck and I for one, own a fairly decent amount
of property in the City including my home and I don't want to keep
getting it in the neck because the programs aren't administered
by the County.
Mrs. Gordon: that you are saying then Marty is that they should
administer our entire Parks program and everything else because
people go to the parks.
Mr. Fine: That happens to be a strong feeling that I have and I
think the best example Mr. Mayor is the Library system.
I had a little to do I hope with bringing that to a head and now
we all enjoy the same library privileges and we all pay 1 mill
for it rather than our paying .87 of a mill and the county
residents paying .26 of a mill as they did in the past and every-
body uses the same library, in addition to which when you have
to build a 28 million dollar library, which I understand Metro
is going to do, -
Mayor Ferre: Marty, you can take that same argument and use it
with Police -
Mr. Fine: No, 1 happen to believe that there are certain functions
and you just mentioned one of them that many of us living in the
city are willing to pay for, police, fire and garbage collection
happen to be among the 3 but others, I think we are being taxed
for twice. I don't know if that answers the question.
Mrs. Gordon: He said he likes the program but -
Mr. Fine: On page I of the budget, there is a statement that it
is most important to be able to identify the city's municipal
delivery system by programs and cost centers and I agree with that
and for the fi.rst time, Mr. Andrews has worked out a performance
schedule but I we- ld like to suggest to you that there is another
schedule that s!,.;>uld be included during the course of the year
and that is a cost benefit schedule, not just whether the people
are doing their job properly which I feel certain almost all
city employees are all business employees are but whether or
not the function in question can be rendered better on a metro-
politan basis -county wide basis and paid for on a county basis
rather than on a city basis,
OCT 101974
J
Let mA give you an example. I think for example the Public Works
Department. I re -read this'budget again and I see that they do
a very good job in maintain ing streets and designing things.
The county taxpayer tides over those streets and avails themselves
of all the benefits of that particular department. The same thing
with the Parks Department and sc on down the line and I would hope
Mr. Mayor that you might ask this very fancy firm of consultants
that the City has and I assume they are very good to study the
possibility of ekamining certain major functions of the City with
a view in mind of determining on a very forthright basis whether
or not they can be best be handled on a county -wide basis.
On Page 12 of the report, Mr. Andrews says in the 2nd paragraph.
From a strictly economic point of view, he thinks the City of Miami
residen is will be getting one of the most advantageous financial
transactions they will have during the coming year. If that were
true, I think I would go bankrupt because I think again, we are
being taxed twice for almost all of the services we get in the
City and I don't think its a good financial transaction for the
city or for the taxpayer and I think while we say that the taxrate
is going to be the same, We are the same taxpayers. tae are paying
the federal taxes, a lot of which are now coming back to the City
in the form of revenue sharing both directly from the federal gov-
ernment and from the state government and it appears to me that
taxes should have been more dramatically reduced than they have
been and that the reason they haven't been is because of the
duplicating services by nature are those that should be handled
on a metropolitan basis.
One of the items that I discussed last year and never had the
courtesy of a reply to was the fact that the legislature 2 years
ago saying that the cities have the right to lease air rights and
I suggested the Manager ask the man who runs the property department
to see if there are any properties that air rights could be leased.
To the best of my knowledge, the City hasn't done thcit and if they
have, they haven't replied or said anything in the paper about it
and I can't help but believe that there are many properties in the
City in which air rights could be leased for low income housing,
for moderate housing, commerical projects and T have a picture which
I left in the car but the building where the Law Department is
housed, I think and communications , is only a 2 story or 3 in
height, built about 15 years ago. It's obviouw:ly as we look at it
next to the federal building, not the high est and best use for the
land and Mr. Mayor, as Chairman of the Downtown Authority, I tiink
you might agree that there are other properties in downtown Miami
owned by the City which can be used to help benefit the City.
I believe that basically in closing, I really have a lot more to
say about the budget but I think the major thrust has to do with
the fact that we are really paying twice for the same services and
one of the difficult things is that you are asking your own city
people to evaluate and come back and report to you on those
services which they think should be.continued to be funde,1.
Very few people are willing to do themselves out of a job or out
of a department and I would recommend that you might consider using
the Center for Urban Studies at the University of Miami as a neutral
ground for people to evaluate the budget during the course of the
year and to come back to you as a Comm.ssion on a quarterly basis
not at the end of the year in October.
I won't get into technicalities but my reading of the charter says
the budget will be illegally adopted because the time in which
it should have been adopted is expired.
Mayor Ferre: Marty that is a long and complicated legal thing
but our City Attorney has ruled that we can do it the way we are
doing it.
Mr. Fine: I think you should do it that way but what 1 am really
saying is, if you were to look for an honest and objective review
of the budget, I think it is impossible to do it at this kind of a
budget hearing and with all due respect to Mr. Andrews and his
staff who are dedicated and do a good job, I think you need an
outside review. One that is objective and I close by suggesting
that to you the University of Miami has an Urban Study Center
Mr. Ferre with which you are very familiar and I think they have
in the past, that is the accounting department reviewed the budget
OCT 101974
for the City and I think they ought to do it on a quarterly basis
and report to this Commission and the public as some of the things
they see could take place.
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Andrews, I think that is a good recommendation.
Mr. Andrews: I agree. There is one area that I would like the
Commission and Mr. Fine and myself to engage in conversation in.
In this mornings paper in the Miami Herald, there is an article
which reads: Ft. Myers officials ask tax refund of 9 million
dollars. I don't know if the Commission has had a chance to --
I will read the first 2 paragraphs: Ft. Myers city officials have
demanded Lee County refund 9 million dollars in taxes which the
city says its residents have rec-ived no services in return.
The refund action is apparently :he first test of an amendment
passed this year by the State 1913 Municipal Services Act which
allows incorporated areas to petition for reimbursement of taxes
for services not supplied to the municipality. Now this act was
adopted in the legislature and it clearly indicates that where
services are rendered by the county government and they are not
rendered in the City, and now this is a reversing of the duplication
that you are talking about, because the processes that you are using
would take away from the grass roots system in America as we have
known it all these years and keep on building bigger and bigger
governments and as our government gets larger, in south Florida
and we have one urbanized area, from West Palm Beach to Miami,
the tendency is going to be to say, well lets turn it over to some
other bigger government and this now gives us the latitude and
the ability hopefully to test it to demonstrate that there are
services that the county is performing in the unincorporated area
and I think the County recognizes this in that 4/10 mill that it
was willing to levy for the police serviceF is an excellent example
of the direction I think this community is beginning to head and
Mr. Mayor, I think this is an important area.
This will retain you as a citizen with greater opportunity to come
and speak about budgets. You haven't gotten all the answers you
want and others to come before this Commission and express themselves
where they are lost in a bigger government.
Mr. Fine: Well, Mr. Mayor, I just really want to respond to that
for one minute if I may. I hate to keep on saying this but I have
a great deal of respect for Mr. Andrews as a professional and a
City Manager but that argument is about as fallacious as anything
I can think of. Let me give you the best example I know of.
In about; Father Gibson will remember this I am sure pretty well.
About 1950 or 51, Abe Aronovitz led a fight to with other people,
to have the City transfer Jackson Memorial hospital to the County.
Now that was a City Hospital because like the Library System and
all other big facilities, things like that happen in the major
dominant urban area which was the city and at some point, there
was a great deal of resistance to the transfer of it and it became
a county facility. Now if the City had to run Jackson Memorial
today, you would go bankrupt. There is no earthly way for the
city to have expanded that.
Mayor Ferre: I am sorry, let me take up the banner -
Mr. Fine: I understand his point, I just want to, he said everytime
if we have a service that's countywide, we transfer it, we are going
to get away from grassroots.
Mayor Ferre: That is ad hoc logic and let me tell you why.
It's true, your argument is valid for Jackson Memorial Hospital.
What the Manager, and its also valid for the Library and its also
for the Airport and its also valid for Water and Sewer and I think
the City has followed during different administrations, those
different areas and appropriately at the right time, turned them
over.
7 OCT 101974
Now, the Manager is saying that we have been so busy following the
premise of double taxation and duplication that we haven't looked
at the reverse. The reverse being services rendered by the
regional government on a district basis that does not in eff.?.ct
service the citizens of Miami for which we are paying.
Now, the admission of Ray Goode came up with this for the first
tint,: in 16 years of Metro and persued it and carried it through
to fruition at the budget level, is the first time that this has
been publically recognized by Metropolitan Dade County.
if you accept the premise of taxation for specific services as he
accepted it for a specific service which is police service in the
outlying areas. Then if you persue that and you spread it and carry
it through to its natural and logical consequence, then you come
to the conclusion that there are services in Metropolitan Dade
County that we are paying for that we are not receiving, okay so
whatyou are saying in part is valid. The reverse is also true
At eh is what the Manager is saying.
Mr.. Fine: I agree.
Mayor Ferre: Now the point is where do you sift it all nut and
where does it come down to something that is tangible?
It's this as I see it. That, and its nothing new, it is as old
as this country and it goes back to the founding fathers except
that in those days America was at agricultural community and it
was not an urban area and therefc.re as you know in the constitution
of our country, there is no valid recognition of municipal government
except in one or two basic sentences because all power is basically
divided between the Union, the federal government and the state and
the City of Miami is actually a creature of the state. We are not
a legal entity recognized by the constitution at all.
row the purpose of the recogn ition of metropolitan government was
:,ti exercise in the recognition of that governmental right and that
inequity and that vacuum that existed.
!io4ever, when its been studied by those people who are knowledgable
like for example the Eisenhower Commission on metropolitan government
the conclusions always are that the best form of metropolitan
government is a 2-tier form of government.
Therefore, in conclusion what I am saying is that the hest way 'or
us to continue rendering the best service to the people of our
community is in recognition of a 2-tier form of government.
itit this stage of our governmental growth, it doesn't exist because
there is inequity on both sides and the only way to eventually come
to grips with it is by creating tax districts and that is ,+'here we
are going to have to go.
Mr. Fine: I don't have a solution to that bin a problem but I can
just respond by telling you in my opinion, the city administration
in terms of the Manager's office cannot completely look objectively
at these sets of programs and I think you need some outside people
to come in and work with him, people who know the local community
and understand this problem, not necessarily some consultants from
Washington or Chicago but people who live here and have an interest
in this community and I hope you will consider passing an ordinance.
Mayor Ferre: I would agree to that completely and as•a matter of
fact, you brought up 2 valid points and I would like this to be
persued with a recommendation by the Manager after you have had an
opportunity to talk to the University of tlimui. Thank you Mr. Fine
and once more, 1 don't know of a citizen that is a more persistent
advocate t of the people than Martin Fine. Public service is not
limited to just those of us who run for public of f i ce and get
elected. It's also concerned citizens that can speak with
intelligence on subjects. I can't think of a better example of
that than Martin Fine. I am real proud to say that I consider
him a friend AND a friend of the City of Miami and I am certainly
happy always to welcome him here to these microphones to hear his
always critical, constructively critical opinion.
8 OCT 101974
Mrs. Gordon: 2 things Mr. Manager. #1, that Mr. Fine said that
I find, cant find an answer in mind because I Don't know the
answer but why don't we find out how much money we might be
eligible for from the Southern Bell by virtue of that 1% in -state
long distance calks, whioh don't fit the category of the
reason why the interstate collection system wouldn't work.
Or have you already done this kind of an analysis?
Do you have those kinds of figures? I think and I appreciate
Mr. Fine being here as much as the Mayor and the other Commissioners
and the Manager. But, if we don't act on any of his recommendations,
then we have all had an exercise in futility so I would like to ask
you 2 things. #1 that you-.
Mayor Ferre: Excuse me Rose. We have already asked him to write
a memorandum in 2 weeks resEonding to the 1970 letter of October
specifically to the point of the fees as outlined and I asked him
to do that in a 2 week period.
Mrs. Gordon: Yes but I want some figures, t want some dollar
figures.
Mayor Ferre: Well I would imagine his report would be inclusive
with all the legal facts.
Mrs. Gordon: Would you Mr. Andrews, review and bring us some
figures so we can find out whether or not we are talking about
great sums or small sums, at least we will know what we are
talking about. Do we need a resolution with regard to asking
you to contact the Urban Studies Division of the University of
Miami or is this something you are going to do without a motion?
Mr. Andrews; I'll do it but if the Commission wants to pass a
motion. You don't need one as far as I am concerned.
Mayor Ferre: The point is you have been asked to do this in a
written form and report back. to the Commission as quickly as
possible after you have talked with the University of Miami and
set out the peramaters of what would be involved, the cost, and
how it would work and what benefits would be derived from it.
Mrs. Gordon: I'll move the motion to include both figures for
the amounts of money.
The following motion was introduced by Mrs. Gordon who moved
its adoption:
MOTION #74-115.6
A MOTION REQUESTING THE UNIVERSITY OF MI1lMI
URBAN STUDIES DEPARTMENT TO DO A QUARTERLY
REVIEW OF OUR CITY BUDGET; AND REQUESTING
THE CITY MANAGER TO BRING TO THE COMMISSION
SOME SPECIFIC ANSWERS WITH REGARD TO THE
MONIES DUE AND OWING TO THE CITY BY VIRTUE
OF A 1% FRANCHISE TAX THAT SOUTHERN BELL HAS
NOT BEEN PAYING TO THE CITY ON LONG DTcT11NCE
IN -STATE CALLS
Upon being seconded by Mr. Plummer, the motion was passed
and adopted by the following vote - AYES: Messrs. Plummer,
Reboso, Reverend Gibson, Mrs. Gordon and Mayor Ferre. NOBS: None
9 OCT 101974
An Ordinance entitled -
AN ORDINANCE MAKING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1975, PRO-
VIDING THAT XF'ANY SECTION, CLAUSE OR SUBSECTION
SHALL BE DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL, IT SHALL
NOT AFFECT THE ;REMAINING PROVISIONS, F.EPEALING
AI,I, ORDINANCES, OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN
CONFLICT HEREWITH, DECLARING THIS ORDINANCE
TO BE AN EMERGENCY MEASURE AND BY A FOUR -
FIFTHS VOTE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CITY
COMMISSION, DISPENSING WITH THE REQUIREMENT
OF READING THIS ORDINANCE ON TWO SEPARATE DAYS
Was introduced by Mrs. Gordon, and seconded by Reverend
Gibson for adoption as an emergency measure and dispensing with
the requirement of reading same on two separate days, which was
agreed to by the following vote - AYES: Messrs. Plummer, Reboso,
Reverend Gibson, Mrs. Gordon and Mayor Ferre. NOES: NONE.
Whereupon the Commission on motion of Mrs. Gordon, seconded
by Reverend Gibson adopted said ordinance by the following vote -
AYES: Messrs. Plummer, Reboso, Mrs. Gordon, Reverend Gibson and
Mayor Ferre. NOES. NONE.
SAID ORDINANCE WAS DESIGNATED ORDINANCE NO. 8316.
The ordinance was read by tie City Attorney and copies. were
available to the members of the ,:ommission and to the public.
An Ordinance entitled -
AN ORDINANCE DEFINING AND UESIGNATING THE
TERRITORIAL LIMITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI FOR
THE PURPOSE OF TAXATION; FIXING THE MILLAGE
AND LEVYING TAXES IN THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR BEGINNING OCTOBER 1, 1974,
AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 1975, PROVIDING THAT
IF ANY SECTION, CLAUSE OR SUBSECTION SHALL
BE DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL, IT SHALL NOT
AFFECT THE REMAINING PROVISIONS; DECLARING
THIS ORDINANCE TO BE AN EMERGENCY MEASURE
AND BY A FOUR -FIFTHS VOTE OF THE MEMBERS OF
THE CITY COMMISSION DISPENSING WITH THE
REQUIREMENT OF READING THIS ORDINANCE ON
TWO SEPARATE DAYS
Was introduced by Mrs. Gordon, seconded by Reverend Gibson
for adoption as an emergency measure and dispensing with the
requirement of reading same on two separate days, which was agreed
to by the following vote - AYES: Messrs. Plummer, Reboso, Mrs.
Gordon, Reverend Gibson and Mayor Ferre. NOES: None
Whereupon the Commission on motion of Mrs. Gordon, seconded
by Reverend Gibson adopted said ordinance by the following vote -
AYES; Messrs. Plummer, Reboso, Mrs. Gordon, Reverend Gibson and
Mayor Ferre. NOES: None
SAID ORDINANCE WAS DESIGNATED ORDINANCE NO. 8317.
The ordinance was read by the City Attorney and copies were
available to the members of the City Commission and to the public.
U OCT 101974
Mr. Lloyd: These are all of the ordinance which would finally
finalize the budget. Now there is a requested ordinance on behal[
of.the retirees which Usually gets passed once a year after the
appropriation ordinance has been passed.
An ordinance entitled -
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR AN ADJUSTMENT
EFFECTIVE AS OF OCTOBER 1, 1974 IN '.'HE
PENSIONS OF ALL BENEFICIARIES Or THU MIAMI
CITY EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND OF
THE MIAMI CITY GENERAL EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT
PLAN SO THAT AS RESPECTS EACH BENEFICIARY AS
OF SUCH DATE, THE PENSION BENEFIT SHALL BE
INCREASED BY AN. AGGREGATE AMOUNT DETERMINED
BY INCREASING THE PENSION BENEFIT I3Y ONE
PERCENT (1%) OF THE PRESENT BENEFIT FOR EACH
YEAR SINCE THE RESPECTIVE DATE OF RETIREMENT
FOR EACH BENEFICIA2.Y AND PROVIDING THAT THE
AMOUNT OF EACH SUCH INCREASE SHALL BE ADDED
TO THE PRESENT PENSION BENEFIT, AND THE RE-
SULTING AMOUNT SHALL HENCEFORTH BE PAYABLE
ON A MONTHLY BASIS; AND BY FURTHER PROVIDING
THAT FOR PURPOSES OF APPLYING THE ORDINANCE
PROVISION OF ORDINANCE NO. 7798, ADOPTED
SEPTEMBER 25, 1969, PERTAINING TO VARIABLE
UNITS OF RETIREMENT INCOME, THE ADJUSTED
PENSION BENEFIT AS HEREINABOVE DETERMINED
SHALL BE USED AS BASE MONTHLY RETIREMENT
ALLOWANCE FOR THE COMPUTATION OF BENEFIT
CHANGES, I1? ANY, WHICH ARISE BY REASON OF
CHANGE IN THE VALUE OF VARIABLE UNITS; AND
CONTAINING A SEVERJBILITY PROVISION DIS-
PENSING WITH THE REQUIREMENT OFF READING
THIS ORDINANCE ON TWO SEPARATE DAYS BY A
VOTE OF NOT LESS THAN FOUR -FIFTHS OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION.
"as introduced by Mrs. Gordon, secon_ed b' ^evrend Gibson
for adoption as an emergency measure and dis-lens; n•T with the
requirement of reading same on two separate days, which was agreed
to by the following vote - AYES:. ! essrs . Plummer, ^.eboso, Firs.
Gordon, Reverend Gibson and Mayor 7erre. VOr:S : tonne.
Whereupon the Commission, on motion of Ir.s. Gordon, seconded
by Reverend Gibson, adopted said ordinance by the following vote -
AYES: Messrs. Plummer, Reboso, Mrs. Gordon, Reverend Gibson and
mayor Ferre. NOEL: None.
SAID ORDINANCE WAS DESIGNATED ORDINANCE NO. R318.
The ordinance was read by the City Attorney and copies were
available to the members of the City Commission any'. to the nubile.
11 OCT 101974
Mayor Eerre: Ladies and Gentlemen, I am happy to say that this
concludes a very long and tedious and tiring budget hearing
proceeding. Thank you very much. We stand adjourned.
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE
CITY COMMISSION, THE SPECIAL MEETING WAS ADJOURNED
AT:
8:35 O'C lock P.M.
ATTEST: H. U. SOUTHERN
City Ctexh
RALPH G. ONGTE
A66.t,6-tant City CteAk
MAURICE A. FERRE
Mayok
12 OCT 301974