More questions for Miami Beach voters
Deciding whether to roll back the sale of liquor to 2 a.m. on Miami Beach is not the only prickly question residents will find in November’s ballot.
HOMELESS TAX
Among the four questions on the ballot, one will ask residents whether they want to allow a new 1% tax on the sale of food and beverages on Miami Beach. Restaurants in hotels and motels would be exempt.
The money would tackle homelessness in all of MiamiDade, as it would be added to the coffers of the county’s Homeless Trust. Some of the money would also go toward a domestic-violence center. If it passes, the City Commission would adopt a resolution to urge the Legislature to allow for the collection of the money.
Why are diners in Miami Beach being singled out to pay this homeless tax?
The fact is that most other cities in the county have been paying the homeless tax for years, but when it was first enacted in 1993 by the Florida Legislature, Miami Beach, Surfside and Bal Harbour were exempt because they already had restaurant taxes that went toward municipal services.
But times have changed. Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber said the question was placed on the ballot per the request of Ron Book, the head of the county’s Homeless Trust.
Book explains that, if approved, the tax will generate more than $5 million in additional funds, to “finally end homelessness in all Miami-Dade,” he told the Editorial Board. “I have promised to Miami Beach we will take every single one of their homeless persons and within 18 months have them sheltered,” Book said. These are big promises to what’s been an intractable challenge.
Savings to the Beach’s home
less program could be nearly $2 million, money that can be returned to the general fund.
Gelber told the Board that he’s glad the issue is on the ballot, but suspects the measure will have a tough road to approval. Already the city has a 9% tax that would now climb to 10%.
But while so many others have taken the homeless-tax hit, Miami Beach has avoided it for years. It’s time to pay up, plus, tourists will be paying a significant portion of the tax.
The question asks: “Would you support the City Commission adopting a resolution urging the Florida Legislature to amend Section 212.0306, Florida Statutes, to allow for the collection of a one percent tax on food and
beverage sales for consumption on-premises in the City of Miami Beach, which would not apply to hotels and motels, to assist homeless persons and those at risk of homelessness, and for the constructional operation of domestic violence centers?” The Editorial Board recommends YES.
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL
The city is asking residents to extend the lease of the Holocaust Memorial to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation from 2099 to 2120 and also allow the memorial to expand its educational component into an adjacent city parking lot along Dade Boulevard and Meridian Avenue — at no cost to taxpayers.
This monument honors the suffering of the Jewish people, who have had a major impact on the growth of Miami Beach. This is a worthy endeavor.
The question asks: “Shall the city, at no cost to the city, extend this lease for 21 additional years and expand the leased premises to include the adjacent 12,000square foot City parking lot?” The Herald Editorial Board recommends YES.
SMITH & WOLLENSKY
This ballot item would extend the city’s lease for Smith & Wollensky, a popular steakhouse in South Pointe Park. Its current lease expires in November 2025. The restaurant wants it extended to 2045. In return, the eatery promises to finance a $3.3 million upgrade and to have its rent increased annually by 2.5 %, or $11.6 million over the first 10 years. It also agrees to offer free restaurant mentorship seminars. This is a fair deal for Miami Beach residents.
The question asks: “Shall the Smith & Wollensky lease be extended through December 2045, plus renewal options. The restaurant will provide a minimum $3.3 in restaurant upgrades, and increased rent?” The Editorial Board recommends