A decision on whether Hialeah homeowners with a homestead exemption will receive a rebate has been postponed until Oct. 14, following debate at a city council meeting Tuesday.
Council debates rebate proposals
Council members discussed the proposal but did not reach an agreement, saying the money offered for a rebate was not enough and could hinder the city financially.
Interim Mayor Jaqueline Garcia-Roves, who is running for mayor in November, has been pushing to provide money to residents to ease financial burdens. Last week she proposed a $120 rebate.
Council member Jesus Tundidor, who is also running for mayor, has put forward higher figures.
Garcia-Roves backs $200 rebate
“I am proposing 200 dollars, if the council wants to go lower than that we definitely cannot go higher,” Garcia-Roves said. “I am cutting some projects a little shorter. There’s a lighting project that we’re assigning a million dollars a year, we’re going to lower it to 750,000 so it’s just a little bit.”
Tundidor pushes for $300
“I will be proposing a $300 rebate to homestead properties in the city of Hialeah,” Tundidor said. “It’s frustrating to see when we were having a discussion on the mileage rate. And today she wants and I intend to make sure the residents get their money back.”
Cost to the city
If the $200 rebate proposed by Garcia-Roves had been approved, it would have cost the city about $6.2 million, with funds coming from reserves and some projects, officials said.
Budget vote next week
The rebate proposal was not approved. Council members are scheduled to vote on the city’s budget next Thursday.
If they want to provide homeowners with a rebate, they will have to amend the budget.
The debate comes as Hialeah prepares for elections in November.
