GAZETTE SEPTEMBER 2021
MESSAGE FROM THE TOWN MANAGER Pop Quiz: What percentage of your property tax dollars actually goes to the Town of Surfside? The answer is 22%! Most of your tax bill actually goes to Miami-Dade County and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (74.2% all together). As we all get into the back-to-school spirit, September is a great time to exercise your Town of Surfside knowledge by learning more about the Town’s budgeting process. This month, the Town Commission will vote on a finalized budget for Fiscal Year 2022, with two planned budget hearing meetings at 5:01 on September 13 and 23. Join us at the upcoming meetings. The Town’s Finance Department prepares several financial reports throughout the year and begins work on the next fiscal year’s budget in March. The new fiscal year begins October 1. We will be busy throughout the next year working on a number of potential projects to improve beach street-ends, a new resident-friendly Town website and continue progress on the Surfside 305 Strategic Climate Action Plan. There are a few vacancies on our community boards, so if you are looking for a great way to become involved in your government, please apply (see page 3). This month, we also reflect on and remember those we lost to the Champlain Towers South collapse on June 24. The kindness and generosity shown from across our Town is a reminder of why Surfside is a wonderful place to live and work. Our Town, at the direction of the Commission, continues to make every effort to determine the cause of the collapse and ensure that a tragedy like this never happens again. - Andrew Hyatt, Town Manager