"Taking matters into their own hands"

Citizens in Coral Gables, Miami take on budget woes

Property owners, upset about budget woes at the city, county and school board levels, meet to try to tackle the government budgets themselves.

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BY ELAINE DE VALLE

EDEVALLE@GMAIL.COM

More than a dozen concerned -- some downright angry -- taxpayers met last week to discuss the different budgets proposed by Miami-Dade County, the school board and the cities of Miami and Coral Gables.

And they are taking matters into their own hands.

The residents -- young and old, Democrats and Republicans -- said they want to pore over the upcoming budgets of the city of Coral Gables, the city of Miami, the school board and the county to target wasteful spending amid declining income. South Florida municipalities are cutting services and raising taxes to contend with decreased property tax revenues from the economic downturn.