Carlos Gimenez cuts spending plans as he guides county from "a strong manager system' to act as a strong mayor
In his first month in office, Mayor Carlos Gimenez is charged with balancing the county budget before fiscal 2011-2012 begins Oct. 1.
Running on a campaign that prioritized children, the elderly and public safety, the former Miami city manager and county commissioner pledged to lower the county's combined tax rate to 2009-2010 levels without severe cuts to essential services.
"That's what the people voted me into office for and was the reason my predecessor was recalled from office," Mr. Gimenez said. "I knew how to resolve that problem."
While the county commission agreed to cap the combined tax rate at 9.7405 mils, down from 11.0498 this year, it didn't support Mr. Gimenez's call to reduce the library's tax rate. To keep area libraries open during a difficult budget year, the commission transferred some anticipated income from the county's fire rescue district to its libraries.
"I wasn't able to guarantee that it would not affect services," he said, "but I'm going to do my best to see that it doesn't, at least at the street level."
Mr. Gimenez discussed how he plans to prepare for the commission's September budget hearings and reduce government's size at the Stephen P. Clark Government Center with Miami Today staff writer Ashley Hopkins.
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