Tax Refund Coming To Miami Lakes Residents
MIAMI LAKES -- (CBS4) -- Homeowners in one South Florida city are getting an early holiday gift.
Tuesday night, the Town of Miami Lakes approved a $75 tax refund for homeowners.
"This is the Mayor Pizzi version of a stimulus," said Mayor Michael Pizzi of Miami Lakes.
Mayor Pizzi says he wants to reward the people of Miami Lakes with a tax refund before the holidays. His plan is to give $75 back to homeowners in the next several weeks.
With more than 27,000 residents in Miami Lakes, the mayor says the rebate will cost the town between $500,000 and $600,000, to come from a surplus of $1 million.
"We can easily afford this because over the past five years, we've watched the people's money, like it's our own," said Mayor Pizzi. "We can fund the rebate, and spend several hundred thousand dollars improving services."
He hopes homeowners will take their $75 to Main Street, the popular Miami Lakes shopping district. The mayor says it's an effort to bring more money to local businesses.
"I guess you can take your wife out to dinner. I would consider that," said homeowner Clifford Pane, who has lived in Miami Lakes for nearly 40 years. "If they're going to send it out anyway, I'll take it, that's for sure! If it's my money!"
"I think the benefit of it will be real for people who could use the $75," said Ed Ewart, a homeowner in Miami Lakes.
Ewart thinks the money will help some people, but if he could, he says he'd give his part back to fund future projects.
"There's a lot of things that can be accomplished in Miami Lakes," said Ewart.
News spreads quickly in small towns, but many people CBS4 spoke with were surprised to hear about the refund and said they would gladly accept the money.
The town attorney and the clerk have not yet signed off on it, but the mayor says, it's a done deal.
