New Miami courthouse could cost $540M

A new civil courthouse would set Miami-Dade County back about $540 million and require a higher annual tax rate, Mayor Carlos Gimenez’s administration said Thursday.

Voters would have to approve the issuance of government debt, which would increase the amount of property taxes used to pay for capital projects, according to the Miami Herald.

For example, a homeowner in an unincorporated neighborhood like Kendall with a taxable property value of $200,000 would pay about $18 more a year, according to the report Gimenez sent county commissioners cited by the Herald.

Many officials, such as Bertila Soto, chief judge over Florida’s 11th judicial circuit, have been pushing for a new building. They argue that the historic Dade County Courthouse at 73 West Flagler Street is outdated and too small.

Gimenez and Clerk of the Courts Harvey Ruvin have also backed the project. [Miami Herald] – Christopher Cameron