Miami-Dade’s proposed 2026-27 budget tweaks transit spending, targets some low-ridership routes—hearings ahead

Miami-Dade County residents get their first look at the county’s next budget on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, when Mayor Daniella Levine Cava presented her proposed Fiscal Year 2026-27 spending plan. The proposal would keep the county’s operating property tax rate flat for a fourth consecutive year, while prioritizing transit and infrastructure.

Budget basics: flat operating property tax, transit as a priority

In the mayor’s proposed FY 2026-27 budget, Miami-Dade says the operating property tax rate would remain flat for the fourth straight year and would be at its lowest level since 1982.

Transit is a standout priority in the proposal. Miami-Dade says the plan would increase transit spending by $66 million and would avoid any fare increase or fuel tax increase.

What could change for riders: early-morning and late-night cuts

Along with the higher transit investment, the budget proposal also includes targeted reductions focused on low-ridership service. In particular, Miami-Dade’s plan would eliminate 12 bus routes, with the targeted service windows described as before 5:59 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

For riders who depend on off-peak trips, these details are the part to verify in the budget documents—because the mayor’s proposal is not final yet.

What’s protected: Special Transportation Services and MetroConnect

The county also says the proposal protects two programs it highlighted by name: Special Transportation Services and MetroConnect. The mayor’s release ties that continuity to the broader idea of maintaining access while the county rebalances spending.

How residents can review the proposal and speak

Miami-Dade has posted a hub for the FY 2026-27 proposed budget volumes, along with a page tied to the July 15 presentation materials. Readers can use those pages to find the sections covering transit funding and any service assumptions connected to early/late reductions.

Residents can also comment during the budget hearings scheduled for:

• Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026
• Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026

The county says the final September hearings come before the Board of County Commissioners passes the budget.

What to watch before the September vote

Because this is still a proposal, details can change before commissioners take final action. As the process moves toward the September decision, riders and taxpayers can focus on three questions in the documents: which routes or time blocks are most affected, how the county defines “low-ridership” for the cuts, and what the proposed protections mean in the budget language for Special Transportation Services and MetroConnect.

Sources

• Miami-Dade County (Mayor release): Proposed FY 2026-27 budget
• Axios: Miami-Dade mayor proposes 2027 budget (transit impacts + timing)