City of Sunny Isles Beach Official Website
By Larisa Svechin, Mayor
(Monday, July 1, 2024) – As we approach the new budget cycle for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year, I want to take a moment to discuss our budgeting process and emphasize the importance of transparency and resident involvement.
Our fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30, but planning for the budget begins many months in advance. The process kicks off in May with a City Commission Vision Workshop, where the Commission shares their ideas and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. The vision of the Commission is driven by you – our residents. All members of the Commission prepare their top priorities for the budget based on what we learn from speaking with and listening to the citizens of Sunny Isles Beach.
Over the next few weeks, each department works diligently to plan their expenses to align with the vision of our Commission and residents. The goal is always to keep costs low without sacrificing the high level of service and quality the City is known for.
Your participation is a vital part of the budget process. This year, we introduced an event interest form to encourage collaboration and gather proposals from residents. This initiative allows you to propose events for consideration during budget development. Remember, events happening now are planned many months in advance. To see your ideas come to life, they must be proposed and budgeted for during the budget season, not at the last minute.
Transparency is a core value of our budgeting process and is crucial for maintaining public trust and government credibility. That’s why I encourage you to join us during our budget workshops and meetings. The tentative dates for public hearings are:
• September 3 – First Public Hearing
• September 12 – Second (Final) Public Hearing where the Budget is adopted, and tax millage rate is set.
Please note that these meetings are tentative pending the county and school board budget hearing dates. Any changes will be updated on our meeting calendar at sibfl.net/events. I also urge you to sign up for email notifications, download our mobile app My Sunny Isles Beach, and follow us on social media to stay informed.
Lastly, I want to acknowledge our Finance Department. They have been awarded the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 15th consecutive year and the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 13th straight year. These recognitions reflect the high standards of transparency and efficiency in our budgeting process.
Contact Mayor Larisa Svechin at lsvechin@sibfl.net or 305.792.1753
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