The proposed Miami-Dade County budget would increase the cost to ride local transit and defund a free ride-share service.
Why it matters: The proposed fare increases for rail, bus and disability services would be the county’s first price hikes since 2013, according to the mayor’s office.
- Mayor Daniella Levine Cava’s $12.9 billion proposed budget looks to offset a more than $400 million deficit for 2026.
By the numbers: The budget proposes a 50-cent increase for Metrorail and Metrobus, from $2.25 to $2.75 per ride.
- It also adds a 25-cent increase for Special Transportation Services (STS), a service for riders with disabilities, from $3.50 to $3.75.
- Free ride-share service MetroConnect — an $11 million program meant to connect riders to transit stations — would also be defunded if the budget is approved.
The latest: County commissionerswill consider the funding proposals during their first budget hearing Thursday, ahead of a final meeting Sept. 18.
Friction point: A spokesperson for Levine Cava says a “modest” price increase was needed to keep the transit system operational, while activists warn even a slight hike would burden vulnerable riders…