Volume 3 | Issue 11 - June 30, 2022
Official newsletter from the
City of South Miami
Exclusive news on South Miami from South Miami
TOP STORY
Budget season begins this summer. Here's some helpful info
After several months of SoMi city staff working on their individual department budgets and fine-tuning their upcoming fiscal needs, the summer marks the start of putting together the entire overall budget for consideration, discussion and eventual approval in the Fall.

The next budget will cover October 2022 through September 2023.

To assist in following upcoming budget discussions in August, we would like to begin to provide a budget primer for you. Hopefully this will be useful when listening to our upcoming discussions. In this issue we explain what the "not-to-exceed" millage rate represents.
Step one: Set the “Not-to-Exceed” rate.
The first step in the process takes place next month. Our staff has already been working on the numbers, and we have an idea of what next year’s budget will be. During a City Commission in July, we will set a “not-to-exceed” millage rate.

The “not-to-exceed” rate is a placeholder that puts a cap on the amount the millage rate could be increased in the final budget. This rate is almost never the final millage rate approved in September. It is only used by the county tax collector to put together a document indicating how much your total tax bill from all taxing authorities could go up in October. Again, the “not-to-exceed” rate is rarely (if ever) the millage rate in the approved budget.

In fact, The city has been able to balance its budget each year without raising the property tax rate since 2016.

We'll have more budget info in upcoming issues of the SoMi INSIDER. Stay tuned!
JOIN US ON THE 4TH.
The SoMi 4th of July celebration is back and better than ever! After COVID-related cancelations in the past, the party is on at Palmer Park.

The fun begins at 5:00pm with fireworks at 9:00pm. There will be music, food, fireworks, and fun! Palmer Park is located at 6100 SW 67th Avenue.

Entry is free for festivities, fun & fireworks.

Event includes:

·  Kids Zone: Inflatables, Rock wall and Games

·  Fireworks synced to popular & patriotic favorites

·  Live Entertainment

·  Food Vendors: Pollo Tropical, Miami Island Grill, Franco's Donuts, That! Taco Place, Ellis Tribe (BBQ & Corn), & Kona Ice

·  Giveaways

Please...no alcohol, and no pets allowed. See you there!
SoMi tightens laws against shooting animals
The city of South Miami has tightened up its restrictions on the shooting of animals. By unanimous vote, the City Commission voted to eliminate the shooting of stray dogs and cats.

Previously you were able to ask permission from the SoMi police department to shoot them. Now the possibility of obtaining such a permit has been eliminated. Only law enforcement officers now have the ability to shoot when or if necessary.
Document your documents
As we get closer to the peak of the summer, the tropics are heating up. Before a storm is the time to make sure your home is properly documented, and make sure your documents are properly stored.

You should take pictures of your belongings and furnishings. If your home is seriously damaged, having pictures showing exactly what was lost will help you make claims with your insurance company.

In addition, remember there may not be electricity following a storm. If you keep your important documents on your computer or in the cloud, your ability to access them will be affected. Print hard copies of insurance policies, bank statements, important medical records, birth certificates and other critical documents and keep them in a watertight container.

It may seem old fashioned but having paper copies in an emergency is important.
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www.southmiamifl.gov