City of Miami voters will decide next Tuesday whether the city can borrow up to $450 million to fix and replace its police and fire buildings. The question is Miami Referendum 1, and it sits on the last page of the ballot for people who live inside city limits, according to the city's sample ballot.

What the money would build

The biggest piece is a new public safety headquarters. It would hold police headquarters, fire department offices and the 911 center. The city puts that building at about $300 million on its Safe and Ready Miami FAQ. The other $150 million would go to fire rescue.

The Coconut Grove Spotlight listed the plan item by item:

  • New public safety headquarters: $305 million
  • Four new fire stations: $52.8 million
  • Two replacement fire stations: $59.5 million
  • Renovation of Fire Station No. 3: $22.75 million
  • Repairs and upgrades at 12 sites, including Fire Station No. 8 in Coconut Grove: $10 million

Why the city says it can't wait

Miami's police headquarters opened in 1976 and was built for about 560 officers. It now holds about 1,390 sworn officers and 400 other staff, the city said in a July announcement. The city listed plumbing failures, flooding, roof leaks and old wiring. Eight of the city's 17 fire stations are more than 50 years old, it said.

Higgins told the Spotlight that construction costs rise 4% to 5% a year. "If I wait one more year, it's $20 million more for every year we wait," she said. She also said some neighborhoods wait eight to 12 minutes for fire rescue, compared with a six-minute national standard.

What it would cost you

The bonds would be repaid with property taxes. The ballot says there would be no increase to the city's current capital projects debt tax rate of 0.5935 mills, and it promises an independent yearly audit. The city's estimate works out to about $110 a year for an average home. Higgins told The Miami Times the first-year cost would be about $2.38 a month.

Pardo said the owner of a $500,000 property would pay about $194 a year on average, or about $6,000 over the life of the bonds.

What opponents say

In a Miami Herald op-ed, King and Pardo called the plan a blank check. They wrote that interest and fees bring the true cost close to $800 million, and that the headquarters is still at the concept stage. They said the plan never went to the city's Finance and Audit Advisory Committee. They also warned that Amendment 3, if it passes, could cut city tax revenue by more than $45 million a year in 2027 and 2028, citing city officials' estimates.

Higgins told the Spotlight the city will go to that committee before it issues any debt. She said voters are only being asked whether to give the city the power to borrow.

Referendum 2 would create a permanent advisory committee to watch over the bond money. King and Pardo urge a no vote on both measures.

How to vote

Early voting runs through Sunday, Nov. 1, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at county sites. On Election Day, Nov. 3, polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you must vote at your assigned precinct, Miami-Dade County says. Our full ballot guide and early voting guide have more.