By Coral Gables Gazette staff
The Coral Gables City Commission adopted a $313.6 million budget for fiscal year 2026 at its second and final public hearing on September 25, preserving the city’s current property tax rate for the 12th consecutive year. The meeting lasted less than 45 minutes—but ended in a heated exchange that underscored deeper fiscal and political divides.
The millage rate passed on a 4–1 vote, with Commissioner Melissa Castro casting the lone dissent. Castro had previously proposed a modest tax reduction, which the Commission rejected earlier this month.
Assistant Finance Director Paula Rodriguez opened the hearing by confirming that neither the total budget nor the millage rate had changed since the first hearing on September 10.
Commissioners float future spending priorities
Before final votes were cast, Mayor Vince Lago used the hearing to introduce a list of small-scale initiatives he and his colleagues hope to fund if additional revenue becomes available during the fiscal year, which begins October 1.
“We may have a little bit of income that may give us some fluidity,” Lago said.
Among the projects he raised were $50,000–$100,000 in improvements to batting cages at the Coral Gables Youth Center, a traffic calming study along Country Club Prado, and a pedestrian and bicycle safety study for Granada Boulevard—which could include making the road one-way.
Other commissioners added items to the informal wish list:
- Cameras at or near Cocoplum Circle for traffic safety;
- Mobility studies to explore expanding the city trolley into neighboring areas;
- Coastal camera systems to detect storm surges more quickly.
Though not formally adopted, the conversation signaled where discretionary funding could go if budget flexibility emerges.
Underline maintenance spurs concern
The commission shifted to a more cautious tone while discussing the city’s future responsibility for maintaining the Underline—a three-mile linear park being completed beneath the Metrorail in Coral Gables.
“When the city originally signed on to the Underline project, the county agreed to cover ongoing maintenance,” Lago said. “That’s no longer the case.”
“I will not allow [a] three-mile stretch of park to not be properly maintained,” he added. “We have to maintain it up to our standard.”
The expected cost of maintenance is approximately $300,000 per mile, per year.
Final vote sparks heated exchange
For much of the hearing, commissioners expressed agreement on the budget’s balance between restraint and flexibility. Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson praised the plan for helping residents “in numerous ways without cutting taxes.” Commissioners Ariel Fernandez and Richard Lara agreed, with Lara calling it a time to “be prudent and keep [the] current tax rate.”
But as the final vote approached, tensions rose.
Castro, quiet during the millage discussion, reiterated her belief that the city should have approved her proposed rate cut. While acknowledging other forms of support for residents, she argued that a symbolic tax reduction—even a small one—would have sent the right message.
Her remarks drew a swift response from Lago.
“Right now is not the time to play politics or have an Instagram post,” the mayor said. “Right now is the time to be prudent, thoughtful and careful.”
He contrasted this year’s five percent revenue increase with double-digit growth in prior years. “The time for a tax cut could have been either of the previous two years,” he said, noting that his earlier proposal could have saved residents $300 last year, compared to just $13 under Castro’s plan.
Clash over police pay and priorities
The exchange escalated when Castro turned to a previous 4/5 vote on cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for city employees—particularly law enforcement.
“You say you ‘back the blue,’ but you are the only person who didn’t vote for COLA,” Castro said. “Don’t say you back the blue when you can’t even support them. There was a reason we lost 30 officers in a period of two years.”
Lago pushed back: “Yes, I do back the blue. What I don’t back is sinking the city in a COLA.”
After the final vote on the budget, Castro continued speaking—denouncing what she described as the mayor’s “personal attacks” and calling for mutual respect. As she did, Lago stood, left the dais and exited the chambers without responding further.
This Post Has 6 Comments
Melissa Castro always wants to spend taxpayers money..Have you noticed that?…If it were up to her we would be paying 10 times in taxes …She’s the type of politician we have to be very careful about..Even the bloated pumpkin Ariel fernandez wasn’t backing her…Has Melissa Castro ever run a business??…It should be a prerequisite for all politicians to have a run a business prior to seeking office…We are already paying too high of taxes to be worried about socialist leaning politicians that want to squander our tax dollars…She claims that we have lost officers but I see coral gables PD everywhere, so I don’t know what shes talking about….Melissa would be better off working for New yorks soon to be new socialist mayor Mamdani where she can squander all the tax payers money and then beg for federal assistance…
Jose Menendez, you are a rude. uneducated in economics person. Just because you see the police, that does not mean the department is well staffed. Your comments on socialism is unacceptable. Your post shows more of your issue against Castro personally than one who is stating facts. And to call Ariel Fernandez a bloated pumpkin shows you are a hateful person. This article first shows Lago’s arrogance that he displays frequently. The budget shows again what the leadership wants, not exactly what the people want. AND STOP ALL THIS CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION !!!!!!!!. That is what the people want. It is time for a moratorium on all construction. Sunshine is gone and congestion / traffic is up. We do not even go near Miracle Mile for anything due to congestion and parking.
Really?….you should change your handle to “Not really’…When It comes to what I hear and what I see, I tend to believe my eyes more and who says we are not staffed properly at the police dept?..My neighbor called the police last week and they showed up in less than 2 minutes..the county average is 8 minutes..Not bad response time for a dept in your eyes are understaffed..Again believe your eyes not your ears..And heres a crazy thought for you, Look up George Merrick in google and see what it says…He was a Developer..Thats right .The founder of Coral Gables was a developer…He owned 300 acres of orange groves in the area of what is today Miracle Mile..He started building and developing those 300 acres..And developement cannot and will not be stoped…Nobody has a right to stop it…Where there is a demand there will be progress..We all lament for the good old days when you had woolsworth on the mile but things change and frankly it can’t be stopped,state regulations supercede Coral gables regulations..So you can throw a hissy fit and shake your fists at Lago and blame him for something that he can’t stop…Some narrow minded people blame Lago for the developement which is not his doing and if you believe so show me the evidence…Just because he’s mayor doesn’t make him all powerful..He,or anyone else, cannot stop developement…Who ever tells you they can are plain lying to you…
“developement cannot and will not be stoped…Nobody has a right to stop it”
This should become Mayor Farquaad’s new motto.
Really?, you are absolutely correct!
The mayor’s hateful displays during yesterday’s commission meeting and budget hearing were embarrassing. Jose Menendez’s comments are only repeating the mayor’s arrogant rhetoric, and are just as hateful or even more so than the mayor’s.
Lago’s constant spouting about being civil and congenial are concepts he never puts into practice. He is rude and disrespectful to some of his fellow commissioners, and to certain residents. In my 35 years as a resident who actually watches the commission meetings and budget hearings, I’ve never witnessed the disgraceful antics which have become the standard behavior on the dais. Decorum, which seems to be the word of the day, is a joke.
Lago doesn’t want Melissa Castro to speak the truth, so he bangs the gavel and walks off, like a disgruntled child who takes his ball and leaves the ballgame.
As you say, what the people want is of no consequence. We are being swallowed by a concrete jungle, which is benefiting someone, but certainly not the residents.
Coral Gables has been damaged, hopefully not irreparably, by this behavior. The mayor always wants to make it seem as if he’s being maligned by others, but he needs to practice a bit of introspection, not to mention humility, a concept he doesn’t understand.
Mr. Lago, PLEASE! Part of your recent mayoral campaign was about bringing back decorum and civility to the City Commissioners meetings, though I often felt like YOU were the person guilty of behaving badly most of the time. Though you do not raise your voice, the words that come out of your mouth toward Commissioner Castro are disrespectful and condescending, certainly not the hallmark of a good leader. Do you feel that, “Right now is not the time to play politics or have an Instagram post,” (words you’ve used before) is a respectful or professional retort toward another Commissioner when you do not agree? Certainly, getting up and leaving the room was also not of the best behavior for a City leader. Commissioner Castro was elected by CG residents, just as you were, and is trying hard to represent our citizens so why do you treat her so discourteously? You have mentioned many times that you have daughters. How would you feel if they were disrepected and spoken to so rudely some day in the same manner that you do publicly to Ms Castro? I think you would cringe, as I do when I listen to what you’ve said during so many meetings.