Every summer, the Mayor puts out a budget proposal for the following year. The Commission votes on the budget and sets the tax rates tentatively in July and finally in September.
That process sets up the position of various departments and JHS when it comes to bargaining with employees. With our bargaining coming up later this year, it pays to know what county officials are proposing before the Commission votes.
Recently, Mayor Carlos Gimenez sent a ridiculous memo to the Commission proposing 10 percent pay cuts for county employees in three unions and a host of other cuts that would balance the budget on the backs of workers. Read the memo here.
The Miami Herald recently reported that Gimenez has essentially been playing a shell game with tourist tax dollars to cover operating expenses in various departments — clearly unsustainable. Now he’s looking at employees as the next pot of gold. It bears watching and possible action as things heat up. <!– –>