Residents of Miami Gardens, including Lillie Barr, face challenges paying water bills with a 25% surcharge imposed by North Miami Beach. This ongoing dispute, persisting for a decade, stems from differing interpretations of the surcharge's purpose. Initially intended to fund infrastructure for cities extending services, North Miami Beach has relied on water from Miami Gardens without extending any infrastructure. The surcharge contributes to North Miami Beachâs general fund, supporting services that primarily benefit its own residents, raising concerns about the fairness of this arrangement for Miami Gardens.
For as long as Miami Gardens has been a city, North Miami Beach has taken the water, treated it in Miami Gardens, imposed a 25% surcharge and sold it right back to the residents and businesses of Miami Gardens, which I represent on the Miami-Dade County Commission.
The surcharge was intended to provide a way for cities to pay for infrastructure when they had to extend water service to another city. However, North Miami Beach never extended the infrastructure to Miami Gardens; the infrastructure was already there.
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