Ron Desantis has chosen to veto House Bill 11, legislation that could have rectified a decades old water issue between Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach. In Desantis’ veto letter, he says that “it is not the role of the state to referee such a dispute. Municipalities should be encouraged to resolve these disputes locally.”
The Governor goes on to say that the language of the legislation leaves room to give preferential treatment to “one class of ratepayers in a single municipality” and it “may lead to ratepayers in a neighboring municipality paying more” however, that’s the exact issue HB 11 addresses.
Earlier this year, we covered the ongoing water issue between the two municipalities. As a reminder, Commissioner Gilbert claims that North Miami Beach did not try to work out the issue “neighbor-to-neighbor”, that the illegal assessment of the surcharge should be refunded to residents in Aventura, Miami Dade, and other areas that NMB supplies, and that the offers to resolve this dispute have not been “serious.”
Senator Shervin Jones, one of the initial supporters of the bill, mentioned being “disappointed by the Governor’s veto” while also reaffirming his commitment to finding a solution “that centers equity and ensures that no resident is penalized simply because of where they live.”
Desantis’ choice to veto this bill adds additional strains to residents that have been looking for financial relief in the face of record-setting water bills. Residents of Miami Gardens have paid more than their fair share. “This bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support because it was about fairness, not politics,” said Jones.“Though this is a setback, the work continues.”
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