Remarks by David Suarez
153 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 3 of 7
- Play at 5:50:12
“Mr. Mayor, if I can make a suggestion. Why don't we have a vote now to lift the rate, the moratorium? And see, you know, because we can't do anything as far as water and sewer rates unless that moratorium is voted.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 5:50:35
“Yeah. So let's just start there and see where the chips fall.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 5:50:45
“So I'll move it. Okay. I'll move it. I'll second it.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 5:50:54
“This is no. I make a motion to lift the moratorium.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 5:51:43
“No, I'm simply saying that, look, none of these options where water and sewer isn't going to increase is going to be possible unless we lift a moratorium. So I make a motion to... Four and less five of us agree. No, you still need to lift a moratorium. You still need to vote on that. So...”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 5:52:07
“Don't we have to specifically say we lift the moratorium in the motion? No, by voting 5-7 you are lifting the moratorium. Oh, okay. That changes it then. Because I was under the impression procedurally we have to first vote on lifting the moratorium and then we can vote on Any sort of measure that increases water and sewer rates, right?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:00:04
“So the item before us now is to simply just raise water rates and water and sewer rates and some stormwater.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:00:18
“Okay, so why did we pass a moratorium two months ago? I'm serious. We should have just decided then of what we're going to do, and now we're somehow going to change that? Again, it's a regressive tax, the water and stormwater rate increases. What? Why are we doing that? Why would we sign up for a regressive tax when we can have more of a progressive tax?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:01:14
“We just figured that out on the fly today. It wasn't like an option that staff presented to us. You know what I mean? We're kind of shooting from the hip on this one.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:02:27
“Yeah, but that also means many projects now potentially not being funded, right? So we're picking winners and losers.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:03:07
“But to be fair, Mr. Mayor, they're going to pay one way or the other, whether it's through on a millage or a water and sewer rate. They're going to pay. So what's the more fair and equitable way for people to pay, Miami Beach residents to pay? And that's why we're here.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:09:36
“Commissioner Suarez, then we vote. You know, Commissioner Dominguez brought a really good idea. Would the voters decide? Yeah. Would my colleagues be okay with both options on the table? Both one and two. Okay. Let's hit rewind. We voted twice. They failed. Well, this motion would be for both questions to be on the ballot. I mean, how do my colleagues feel about that? Let the voters decide.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:10:12
“Because I don't feel, let me just finish, because I don't feel comfortable saying we're going to cut the project in half and then five years from now we'll have to go back to this. You know, look, we can let the voters decide. I mean, because right now we're just deciding. I would like the voters to decide.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:10:52
“But the question is how to fund it and who gets disproportionately affected by those rate increases, Commissioner.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:13:34
“No, I'm sorry just to be clear I think what Rick originally sent was probably the most appropriate. Why don't we ask the voters for water and sewer one Geobahn and the other for stormwater and and have the voters decide. And then we can, and if both, one or both fail, yes, we're technically back to step zero, which is only four months from here. And then we can decide what to raise. And in the meantime, we can also prioritize the projects. But again, that's, I'm just.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:19:30
“So can you do it one more time, Tamika, please? What millage rate are you?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:19:50
“I don't know if it's okay with my colleagues, but we just voted to raise the water and sewer rates. Can we offset that through a millage so that we, at the end of the day, the residents end up net neutral, at least in terms of water and sewer? Mr. Mayor. Again, but we could still technically do the rollback rate in what month?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:20:19
“But today we have to definitely set the proposed millage, the floor millage rate. So... YOU CAN ALWAYS COME DOWN. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN DO THIS FROM NOW UNTIL THE NEXT COUPLE MINUTES, JASON, BUT COULD YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT THE COST IS OF WHAT WE JUST INCREASED AND OFFSET IT BY A LOWER MILLAGE? NO. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO IT IN THE NEXT HOUR AND PERHAPS THE MAYOR CAN CALL IN AN HOUR OR TWO? Is there a ballpark estimate? No.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:21:44
“Jason, what is the millage rate for the rollback? What is the millage for the rollback rate gonna be and what is the proposed flat?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:22:08
“Understood. So what is the current millage?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:22:16
“Okay, and then what is the floor for that year?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:22:28
“Well, colleagues, we can certainly lower the mill. Even if we pass the ceiling today, I understand we can lower it in September further. But do I have a consensus up here to at least meet halfway on this millage so that we are guaranteed to lower the millage for next year? Instead of 5.8, it's 5.5, so 5.65.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:24:03
“If we did... If we took off 0.05, what does that translate into dollars? Would that be about $100 a household median?”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:24:22
“Again, where I'm just simply saying, look, we have the ability today to at least offset what we just raised. And I want to hold our feet to the fire and say that we're definitely going to do that and not do the millage of what's going to keep our operating budget i want to get obviously closer to the rollback rate but again we just raise taxes on the water and sewer storm water so why don't we just decide today that we are going to tie our hands and make sure that we're going to do additional offset cost savings to THE TAXPAYERS.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026
- Play at 6:27:52
“Hold on, it's not rolled back at all, right? And I'm trying to just be reasonable. I don't think a 0.0, no? All right, let Tamika.”
City Commission · Jul 22, 2026