Miami-Dade Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez Commits an Additional $20 Million to Fully Fund Police Payroll and Overtime, On Top of a Second Straight $20 Million Early Payback

In an extraordinary mid-hearing commitment, Miami-Dade County Tax Collector Dariel Fernandez pledged Thursday night to direct an additional $20 million from his own office's budget specifically to fully fund the portion of the Sheriff's budget covering deputy payroll and overtime. The commitment was developed after discussion with Commission Chairman Anthony Rodriguez and is contingent on approval from the Florida Department of Revenue.

The new $20 million comes on top of the $20 million early payback to the County that Fernandez had already pledged for 2027, the second consecutive year his office has advanced funds ahead of schedule.

"This year, for the second time, our administration advanced $20 million ahead of schedule because the County needed it," Fernandez told commissioners. "Tonight, we are doing that again, and going further, because our deputies cannot wait on a budget dispute to get paid."

In the days and hours leading up to the hearing, the Tax Collector's Office identified further operational efficiencies and additional savings, freeing up funds the office had not previously counted as available.

"I have to give credit to this team," Fernandez said. "They went back into our own operations, found real savings, and did it the right way without cutting a single service residents rely on. We are a lean office, and we are blessed to have people who take that seriously enough to always find savings for our taxpayers.That’s what our office is all about.”

• $20 million. New additional commitment, directed specifically to fully fund Sheriff's Office payroll and overtime, contingent on DOR approval
• $20 million. Early advance to the County committed for 2027, the second consecutive year of an early payback
• $84 million. Projected total return to Miami-Dade County as the current fiscal year closes
• $13 million. Savings for FY 2026-27 from waived Tax Collector commissions on voted school millages
• $43 million. Fees waived for municipalities and the unincorporated municipal service area
• $24 million. Advance the office is legally authorized to request each October and November, which it will not request
• $10.2 billion. Total collected taxes distributed to the County, municipalities, the School Board and other taxing authorities since Fernandez took office

"I ask this Commission to use this money to protect what matters: lower taxes, police, fire rescue and emergency response," Fernandez said. "Put it where residents can see it."

Fernandez framed the night's commitments as consistent with a broader shift in how his office operates, one that extends beyond any single budget line. Since taking office, his administration has worked to eliminate the multi-hour waits once common for driver license services, cracked down on appointment scalping and fraud, tightened enforcement against disabled parking placard abuse, and expanded Tax Collector services across the County.

"That is what a government office is supposed to do: collect the money, protect the money, return the money and serve the people," Fernandez said. "I'm proud of this office and this team for proving that every single day."

He closed with a direct appeal to commissioners as they finalized the County budget:

"Protect taxpayers. Protect police. Protect fire.”