Increasing taxes in Palmetto Bay (another in this series). We are now up to 55,049 in pennies and I haven’t even discussed the 20% increase in stormwater assessments! $606.46 for those living in Palmetto Bay versus a mere $ 55.97 for those living in Unincorporated Miami-Dade County (but they also lose the Franchise Tax). When is enough, enough?

What would you do with $550.49? Would you donate it to the local government to do what they want, or do you want a choice in how your money is spent? This is not pennies a day. This is real money.

I am measuring just how Palmetto Bay is going above and beyond in upping the tax burden on residents since 2019:

Since 2019, assuming the proposed tax increase for 2021, taxes will have increased through 2022, as follows:

$ 606.46 for those living in Palmetto Bay
$   55.97 for those living in Unincorporated Miami-Dade County*

*NOTE: The $55.97 property tax increase is actually an annual $70.03 net reduction (money back into the wallets of residents) in overall taxes when you consider the elimination of the FPL Franchise Fee for those who own property in UMSA (unfortunately not for Palmetto Bay as discussed and as demonstrated below)

I am showing my math work below for those who are interested:

Comparing actual tax burdens on a $400,000 tax assessed home and an average power bill of $300.00 per month:

Palmetto Bay property taxes:                   

2019      $400,000 at 2.2000 (2019 rate) =  $    880.00 (Palmetto Bay only)  Starting point
2020      $412,000 at 2.2350 (2020 rate)=   $    920.82 (Palmetto Bay only)  $40.82 increase
2021      $424,360 at 2.4000 (Proposed)=   $ 1,018.46 (Palmetto Bay only)  $97.64 proposed 

                                                                        Palmetto Bay:    $138.46 total prop tax increase

Unincorporated Miami-Dade County (UMSA) property taxes:

2019      $400,000 at 1.9283 (2019 rate) =  $    771.32 (UMSA only)  Starting point
2020      $412,000 at 1.9283 (2020 rate)=   $    794.46 (UMSA only)  $32.14 increase
2021      $424,360 at 1.9283 (Proposed)=   $    818.29 (UMSA only)  $23.83 proposed

                                                                        UMSA                  $  55.97 total prop tax increase*

 *NOTE: The $55.97 property tax increase is actually an annual $70.03 net reduction in overall taxes when you consider the elimination of the FPL Franchise Fee for those who own property in UMSA (not for Palmetto Bay as demonstrated below)

Palmetto Bay Franchise fee:

2019      3.5% of power bill (assuming average of $300.00 per month)        $126.00
2020      3.5% of power bill (assuming average of $300.00 per month)        $126.00
2021      3.5% of power bill (assuming average of $300.00 per month)        $126.00
2022      6.0% of power bill (assuming average of $300.00 per month)        $216.00

Unincorporated Miami-Dade County (UMSA) Franchise fee:

2019      3.5%  of power bill (assuming average of $300.00 per month)        $126.00
2020      ZERO – Franchise fee expired, not renewed for UMSA                    ZERO
2021      ZERO – Franchise fee expired, not renewed for UMSA                    ZERO
2022      ZERO – Franchise fee expired, not renewed for UMSA                    ZERO

MORE TAXES –  YET WE ARE NOT FINISHED. Stormwater and private garbage.

But wait – there is more! This same mayor has overseen other fee (tax) increases, including stormwater fees that increased by 25% (twenty percent) (Previous rate was equal to the Miami-Dade County rate for the Unincorporated area).

And of course the other new tax the Garbage Franchise Fee - taxing private garbage service which was passed in 2019. This tax was voted down under two prior administrations - it was turned down under both Flinn and Stanczyk, but adopted under Cunningham.