Community Newspapers JANUARY 30, 2012
First Class
S unny I sles B each Sun State of the City 2012
VOL. 30, NO. 5
BY BARI AUERBACH
T
he first City Commission meeting of 2012 featured more milestone “firsts” for Sunny Isles Beach – continuing to earn fame and acclaim for financial strength, luxury, park projects and public safety promoting the highest quality of life. ‘FIRST CLASS FINANCES’ At the Jan. 19 City Commission meeting, CPA Cynthia Calvert of
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE FIU OPERA
A look back at 2011 BY MAYOR NORMAN S. EDELCUP Dear Citizens of Sunny Isles Beach: According to the City Charter, I am to present a “State of the City” message on an annual basis in January. This affords the Office of the Mayor the ability to update our citizens about important issues that came before your City Commission during this past year. It is my pleasure and privilege as Mayor of Sunny Isles Beach to report to you, the citizens of our wonderful City, that the state of the City’s financial condition continues to be very secure and strong. This past year we have been able to maintain our funding
on scheduled capital improvement projects and at the same time maintain a healthy general fund reserve in excess of $10 million. During the past 4 years the financial and real estate markets in this country suffered the worst downfall since “The Great Depression” in the 1930s. Locally we have seen real estate values drop by as much as 25 to 50 percent. In recognizing these economic changes the City Commissioners and I set into motion important policy and budgetary changes affecting the financial wellbeing of our City. The projected governmental operating budget for 2012 is $27.8 million, a 2.3 % increase from 2011. According to the Miami-Dade County Tax Assessor’s Office, property values in Sunny Isles Beach excluding new construction, increased overall from $5.4 billion to $5.6 billion. The City added $224 million in new con-
struction to our tax base in 2011. In the eight years that I have been Mayor, our taxable property values have risen from $2.5 billion to $5.8 billion, an increase of 132%! Our millage rate of $2.886 per $1,000 of taxable value has remained the same as last year. The rate is 14% less than the 3.35 millage rate we had in 2003 when I became Mayor. The City of Sunny Isles Beach took advantage of its strong liquidity investment and borrowing capacity by refinancing approximately $7.7 million of debt at 5% interest rate to an impressive 2.38% interest rate. As a result it was also able to obtain an additional $2.3 million in funding from Sun Trust Bank. These new funds will be used for developing parks in the southern and western areas of the City.
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STATE OF THE CITY, page 21
PG. 2
NEW — Catch a FREE ride to South Beach BY SYLVIA FLORES Assistant Director Cultural and Human Services
H
ave you heard about a new restaurant on South Beach that you would love to try but can’t find a way to get there? Have you been wanting to go to Lincoln Road to shop, but can’t find someone to drive you? Well, now you can. The City of Sunny Isles Beach is constantly looking for ways to improve our services, and meet the needs of our residents. To that end, we have partnered with the Town of Surfside to offer our residents the convenience
The City of Sunny Isles Beach, Cultural & Human Services Department, presents the following upcoming events.
of riding the Shuttle Bus to South Beach (Lincoln Road) for FREE three times a week. On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, residents can get on the City Shuttle Bus from the following locations between 9am – 10am (call 305.792.1706 for exact stop times): Newport Beach Resort Ramada Hotel Heritage Park Golden Shores Pelican Community Park / Sunny Isles Beach Government Center Avila North Winston Towers Avila South
Schnebly Schneblyy Winery Wineryy Tour Tourr Thursday, February 16, 2012 Thursday,, Februaryy 16,, 2012 2 South Miami Dade South h Miamii Dadee
Porto Bellagio Plaza of the Americas Marina Del Mar / Coastal Towers Arlen House The City of Sunny Isles Beach shuttle bus will then stop at the Surfside Publix (94th Street & Harding Avenue) at 9:50am where passengers can transfer to the Town of Surfside shuttle bus, to continue on to Lincoln Road. Passengers will have two opportunities to return home, either at 12:20pm or 2:25pm from Lincoln Road. For information on exact stop times and locations, please contact the Cultural & Human Services Department at 305.792.1706.
Sunny y Serenade e Sunny Serenade Romanticc Flamenco o Romantic Flamenco Wednesday,, Februaryy 15,, 2012 2 Wednesday, February 15, 2012 Samson n Oceanfrontt Parkk Samson Oceanfront Park