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Economic Stimulus for Building Industry
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 An important role of government is investing in the infrastructure of a community. In Miami-Dade, an ambitious capital construction program is underway with hundreds of projects now on the drawing board ranging from small neighborhood improvements, such as parks and drainage systems, to the large, ambitious projects including a tunnel to improve access to the seaport and the new museum complex planned at the site of what is now Bicentennial Park.
Moving these projects forward in an expedited fashion can serve as a much needed economic stimulus during a tough period for South Florida's building industry. The County Commission is considering legislation to fast-track $700 million in public building projects.
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New Era of Economic Development Downtown
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George Burgess,
County Manager
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In coming weeks, decisions will be made pertaining to a package of projects that have the capacity to change the face of Miami-Dade County and, perhaps, more importantly, spur a new era of economic development in our urban core.
It is unfortunate that there are a multitude of misconceptions surrounding the construction of a seaport tunnel, a museum complex along Biscayne Bay and a baseball stadium where the Orange Bowl once stood.
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Building Better Communities Moves to Next Phase
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The $2.9 billion Building Better Communities Bond Program is nearly out of money! And, that's good news. Proceeds from the initial $266 million bond sale held in 2005 have now been invested in hundreds of capital projects completed or underway. A list of projects to be funded by the next bond sale has been submitted to the Board of County Commissioners for approval. The Series 2009 Bond sale is expected to be held before the end of the year. Proceeds will fund approximately 260 additional or continuing projects.
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Keeping Commitment To Voters
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Robin Reiter-Faragalli,
CAC Chair
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When the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) first met, the members made a commitment to honor the voters of Miami-Dade County and the decisions reached as a result of the passage of the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond (GOB) program: transparency and a commitment to monitoring projects that were approved in the 2004 referendum. It was clear in 2004 that some changes would be necessary as the GOB program moved forward. Projects might change due to demographics and need, but if changes were to be made, a 21-member advisory committee would ask tough questions and ensure that the original intent of the bond question would be maintained.
Here we are, a few years later and there have been some project modifications. Hurricanes intruded on timelines and property tax collections have declined. But in that arena, the CAC has worked hard to provide guidance and counsel that protected both the county's interests and the mandate of the citizens of our community who passed the tax.
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Upgrades at County Parks
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Miami-Dade County Parks are getting a major boost thanks to the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond (GOB) Program. Park and Recreation improvements, one of the largest components of the GOB, will include projects at 188 worksites throughout the County over the next 15-18 years.
To date, 26 projects have been completed while 74 others are ongoing. Another 88 projects are on the drawing board. These include projects large and small ranging from new sports fields and playgrounds to marina improvements and a new exhibit at Miami MetroZoo.
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Building Industry
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More than 500 architects, engineers and contractors participated in an Industry Forum with Miami-Dade officials to discuss how the County interfaces with the building industry. The May 19 Industry Forum was sponsored by the Office of Capital Improvements (OCI).
Participants were asked for feedback on how the County can do a better job interfacing with the industry to move capital projects forward more efficiently. Results are posted on the OCI website.
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News Room
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Direct Connection
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