Miami-Dade county law and government

Official Seal of the Miami-Dade county government.

Since its formation in 1957, Miami-Dade County has had a two-tier system of government. Under this system, Miami-Dade comprises a large unincorporated area and 35 incorporated areas or municipalities. Each municipality has its own government and provides such city-type services as police and zoning protection.

State voters amended the State of Florida’s Constitution in 1956 to allow for a Home Rule Charter. Dade County was granted the power to create commission districts, pass ordinances, create penalties, levy and collect taxes to support a centralized metropolitan form of government. The BCC may create municipalities, special taxing districts and other boards or authorities as needed. The Home Rule Charter for Miami-Dade County was adopted at referendum on May 21, 1957

The Charter includes a Citizens Bill of Rights with provisions for: convenient access, truth in government, access to public records, the right to be heard, the right to timely notices, right to public hearing, no unreasonable postponements, prompt notice of actions and reasons, financial disclosure by candidates and other public officials, and a Commission on Ethics and the Public Trust.

On November 13, 1997 voters changed the name of the county from Dade to Miami-Dade to acknowledge the international name recognition of Miami.

An Executive Mayor and the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (BCC) govern the County. For more details on how the government is organized, look at the table of organization.

The County’s main administrative offices are located in the Stephen P. Clark Center (SPCC) at 111 NW 1ST Street in downtown Miami.

Federation, not total consolidation

Unlike a consolidated city-county, where the city and county governments merge into a single entity, these two entities remain separate. Instead there are two "tiers", or levels, of government: city and county. There are 35 municipalities in the county, the City of Miami being the largest.

Cities are the "lower tier" of local government, providing police and fire protection, zoning and code enforcement, and other typical city services within their jurisdiction. These services are paid for by city taxes. The County is the "upper tier", and it provides services of a metropolitan nature, such as emergency management, airport and seaport operations, public housing and health care services, transportation, environmental services, solid waste disposal etc. These are funded by county taxes, which are assessed on all incorporated and unincorporated areas.

Of the county's 2.2 million total residents (as of 2000), approximately 52% live in unincorporated areas, the majority of which are heavily urbanized. These residents are part of the Unincorporated Municipal Services Area (UMSA). For these residents, the County fills the role of both lower- and upper-tier government, the County Commission acting as their lower-tier municipal representative body. Residents within UMSA pay an UMSA tax, equivalent to a city tax, which is used to provide County residents with equivalent city services (police, fire, zoning, water and sewer, etc.). Residents of incorporated areas do not pay UMSA tax.

Mayor

See also: List of Mayors of Miami-Dade County, Florida

The Mayor is elected through a countywide vote and is not a member of the Commission. The Mayor has the power to veto actions of the Commission within ten days of their adoption. The Mayor appoints the County Manager, subject to the approval within 14 days of a majority of Commissioners. Both the Mayor and the Commission have the power to remove a County Manager, requiring a two-thirds vote of Commissioners then in office. No one elected as Mayor may serve more than two consecutive four-year terms. Each year the Mayor delivers a state of the county report (usually in January) and a budget address (usually in July). The post of mayor is currently held by Carlos A. Giménez.

Board of County Commissioners

One County Commissioner is elected from each of Miami-Dade County’s 13 districts to serve a four-year term. Voters from the district in which the commission candidate lives choose commissioners in non-partisan elections. The Commissioners elect a Chairperson, and the Chairperson appoints the members, chairperson and vice chairperson of all standing committees.

The BCC reviews and adopts comprehensive development plans for the county, licenses and regulates taxi, jitneys, limousines and rental cars; sets tolls and provide public transportation systems, regulate utilities, adopt and enforce building codes, establish zoning controls, provide public health facilities, cultural facilities, housing programs etc. Each Commissioner’s salary is $6,000 per year.

The Commission can take no actions unless a majority of Commissioners currently serving in office is present. All meetings are public. The Commission may override a Mayor’s veto at their next regularly scheduled meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present. District elections are held every four years, with the elections of Commissioners from even-numbered districts having taken place in 2006 and those from odd-numbered districts in 2008. The 13 current commissioners are:

District	Commissioner
1st	Barbara J. Jordan
2nd	Jean Monestime
3rd	Audrey Edmonson, Vice Chairwoman
4th	Sally A. Heyman
5th	Bruno A. Barreiro
6th	Rebeca Sosa
7th	Carlos A. Gimenez
8th	Lynda Bell
9th	Dennis C. Moss
10th	Javier D. Souto
11th	Joe A. Martinez, Chairman
12th	José "Pepe" Diaz
13th	Natacha Seijas

See also

• County (US)
• Miami-Dade county

External links

• Miami-Dade County Government, Official Website
• Board of County Commissioners