Miami Beach commissioners revoke 1% tax measure, sparking voter confusion
MIAMI - Miami Beach voters are reacting to a decision made by city commissioners regarding a question on their ballot about a proposed 1% food and beverage tax aimed at funding homeless and domestic violence services.
The measure, known as Referendum 8, was revoked by elected officials after it had already been placed on the ballot for the Nov. 5 election.
CBS News Miami reported that more than 20,000 voters had already cast their ballots before the referendum was removed. Many of them may not be aware that their votes on that question will no longer count.
The decision to rescind the measure came before 11 a.m. Wednesday, led by Commissioner David Suarez.
Suarez argued that the 1% tax would negatively impact small businesses and that the funds raised would benefit a homeless trust that operates outside of Miami Beach, rather than addressing local needs.
"The tax would be on restaurants that serve alcohol and have a revenue of over 400,000 dollars," said Miami Beach Mayor Steve Meiner. He was the decisive vote to rescind Referendum 8 from the ballot. The motion passed 4-3.
"This ballot measure would have increased taxes on our residents and on our businesses and would go to a trust which is outside of our control," said Meiner. He referred to the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust. The mayor and three other commissioners argued that the tax money would be spent outside of Miami Beach and criticized the campaign to pass the referendum as misleading.
Commissioner Alex Fernandez, however, expressed concern about the decision, stating, "It is undemocratic to send a question about a tax to the voters and then take the question away from the voters while they are actively voting."
Despite these differing views, the removal of Referendum 8 has left voters uncertain about the status of their votes on the issue.
"If the 1% is really going to help clean up our city, I'm all for it," said David Greer who had no idea his vote on that question would no longer count.
"I voted yes when I saw it on the ballot," said Eugene Gang, also a Miami Beach voter who just cast his ballot. He considered it disrespectful that his vote on Referendum 8 was no longer valid.
"I think we should have the right to choose ourselves, nobody else should take any votes or any options away from us regarding decisions that we make," Gang said.
According to Commissioner Fernandez, Wednesday's vote leaves Miami Beach without real options to relocate homeless people.
"By removing the tax we're not going to be contributing to finding housing solutions," said Fernandez.
The Miami-Dade Department of Elections is saying that Miami Beach will now have to place notices at polling places informing voters that the question on Referendum 8 will no longer count.
On Thursday, two Miami Beach residents filed an emergency lawsuit seeking an injunction to "allow voters to have the final voice and vote in this process."
The plaintiffs are Constance Collins, the founder of Lotus House Women's Shelter, and former commissioner Ricky Arriola.