FYI Miami: July 31, 2025

FOUR CHARTER VOTES: Miami voters will weigh in on four major charter changes this November. In their July 24 meeting, city commissioners put forth two new amendments, one to ease restrictions on the sale or lease of non-waterfront city-owned land and another to create a recurring charter review commission to convene after each US census. Two other charter amendments are also approved to appear on the Nov. 4 ballot: one to ban gerrymandering by establishing a citizens’ redistricting committee to draw future commission maps and another to impose lifetime term limits, capping service at two terms as mayor and two as commissioner, retroactive to prior terms.

NEW INSPECTOR GENERAL: The City of Miami has appointed Antonio G. Diaz to serve as inspector general. A retired major with the Miami Police Department, Mr. Diaz was unanimously recommended by a five-member selection committee and will serve a four-year term leading the new Office of the Inspector General, a watchdog agency created by voters in 2024 to investigate fraud, waste and misconduct in city government.

RAISING UNIVERSITY FEES: Florida International University is considering increasing out-of-state tuition fees, Florida State University’s Kyle Clark, senior vice president for finance and administration, said last week as FSU joined the University of Florida in approving plans to increase costs for out-of-state students during the upcoming academic year. The FSU Board of Trustees approved 10% increases in fees charged to out-of-state students on top of the tuition charged to all students. The University of Florida Board of Trustees approved a similar proposal the day before. The increases won’t affect Florida residents. FSU officials said such fees and tuition have not been increased in more than a decade, while the costs of operating the university have risen. The FSU and UF decisions came after the state university system’s Board of Governors last month approved allowing universities to increase out-of-state student fees.

FUNDING METRORAIL BATHROOMS: The Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust has approved use of transportation surtax receipts to rehabilitate three Metrorail bathrooms more than three decades old, which far exceeds the typical 20-year lifespan of transit restrooms. The county says the UHealthJackson, Palmetto and Tri-Rail stations are the only ones that haven’t been renovated. Delka Innovo Group would remove and replace interior finishes and fixtures; upgrade plumbing, electric and mechanical systems; install new walls, floors and ceilings; and add public-address speakers and hands-free telephones for $576,000. 

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