In a bold retort to the proposed Miami-Dade County budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026, Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis has publicly denounced the suggested financial plan. Known for being forthright in her viewpoints, Orbis criticized the budget for disproportionately impacting Miami's working families. In her official statement made public yesterday, Orbis lambasted the budget for instituting parking fees at public parks, slashing pivotal services, increasing the gas tax, and making cuts to programs that are vital for senior citizens, youth, and mental health support.
The Commissioner argued that the community should not be asked to bear higher costs while simultaneously witnessing a reduction in services. She passionately disdained the idea of raising taxes and fees for routine aspects of daily life. "Budgets reflect our values—and this one betrays the people it’s supposed to serve. This budget asks working families to pay more while getting less—and I refuse to support that," Orbis stated, as obtained from the county's website.
Orbis’s critique didn't stop at just highlighting the distressing aspects of the budget. She posited that the alternative to these measures was to improve governance and efficiency without compromising on essential services. She defended the necessity to maintain and indeed protect core services such as police and fire departments, and the rudimentary municipal responsibilities like landscaping, pothole repairs, and ensuring neighborhood safety. The Commissioner elucidates her vision of governance, one that prefers trimming administrative inefficiencies rather than the quality of life for residents.
Amid the financial balancing act faced by municipal administrations, Orbis sense of urgency to uphold dignity and fair treatment for the County employees may just serve as a clarion call for both the public and her governmental peers. "We need to protect core services like police and fire, while also delivering the basics—cutting the grass, fixing potholes, and keeping our neighborhoods clean and safe," Orbis insisted, as noted by the county's news release.
