Resolution No. 2024-17 Urging Florida Legislature to Providing Funding for Miami-Dade County Assistant State Attorneys and Miami-Dade County Assistant Public Defenders - March 5, 2024 CITY OF AVENTURA RESOLUTION NO. 2024-17
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
AVENTURA, FLORIDA, URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO
PROVIDE FUNDING FOR THE ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEYS
EMPLOYED AT THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE, AND THE ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS EMPLOYED AT
THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE,
INCLUDING A SALARY INCREASE, A COST OF LIVING
ADJUSTMENT, AND A LOCALITY PAY DIFFERENTIAL IN ORDER TO
SUPPORT THE HIRING AND RETENTION OF QUALIFIED AND
EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS, TO COMPENSATE FOR THE HIGH
COST OF LIVING IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY RELATIVE TO THE REST
OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO SEND
A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
FLORIDA SENATE, THE SPEAKER OF THE FLORIDA HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AND MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
STATE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.
WHEREAS, a community's well-being depends on the proper staffing and
functioning of all pillars of the criminal justice system, including the Miami-Dade County
State Attorney's Office and the Miami-Dade County Public Defender's Office; and
WHEREAS, typically due to unacceptably low salaries, Assistant State Attorneys
("ASAs") and Assistant Public Defenders ("APDs") in Miami-Dade County continue to
leave public service faster than they can be trained and replaced; and
WHEREAS, the mass exodus and inability to adequately fill the vacancies has
created serious staffing problems which impact the criminal justice system and adversely
affect the residents of Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, ASAs and APDs are, unquestionably, the primary voices speaking for
crime victims, witnesses, criminal defendants and the community-at-large in all felony and
misdemeanor courts; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office consistently has a
significant number of vacant prosecutor positions, and these numbers increase as
potential hires and trial-experienced lawyers are lured away by much higher salaries
offered by other public agencies and civil law firms; and
WHEREAS, a recent study released by U.S. News & World Report found that, for
2023-2024, Miami is now the fourth most expensive city in which to live in the United
States; and
City of Aventura Resolution No. 2024-17
WHEREAS, the average law student graduates with approximately $160,000 in
student debt; and
WHEREAS, ASAs and APDs are being tasked to manage overwhelming
caseloads exacerbated by the pandemic-caused backlog while dealing with the stress of
making financial ends meet; and
WHEREAS, this ongoing crisis in which criminal defendants may not be
appropriately prosecuted and/or defended, creates a serious impediment in the
administration of justice in Miami-Dade County with a ripple effect that can easily reach
throughout the State of Florida; and
WHEREAS, although the Florida Legislature, as part of the General Appropriations
Act for FY 2022-2023, provided all ASAs and APDs in the State with a $5,000 - $10,000
pay increase, the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office and Miami-Dade County
Public Defender's Office continue to struggle recruiting and retaining both attorneys and
staff; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Legislature recently recognized Miami-Dade County's
extremely high cost of living and provided employees of other state agencies, including
Florida Highway Patrol troopers and Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents, with
a $5,000 area pay adjustment; and
WHEREAS, the Federal government recognizes that jurisdictions like Miami have
unusually high costs of living and provides their employees with a 24.2% locality
adjustment; and
WHEREAS, supporting the individuals who truly make the criminal justice system
run should be a priority budget appropriate for the Florida Legislature, the Governor and
civic leadership throughout the State of Florida.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF AVENTURA, FLORIDA, THAT:
Section 1. The above Recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein
by this reference.
Section 2. The City Commission of the City of Aventura, Florida, hereby urges
the Florida Legislature to provide funding for the Assistant State Attorneys employed at
the Miami-Dade County State Attorney's Office, and the Assistant Public Defenders
employed at the Miami-Dade County Public Defender's Office, including a salary
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City of Aventura Resolution No. 2024-17
increase, a cost of living adjustment, and a locality pay differential in order to support the
hiring and retention of qualified and experienced attorneys, to compensate for the high
cost of living in Miami-Dade County relative to the rest of the State of Florida.
Section 3. The City Commission hereby directs the City Clerk to send a copy of
this Resolution to the President of the Florida Senate, the Speaker of the Florida House
of Representatives, and members of the Miami-Dade County State Legislative
Delegation.
The foregoing Resolution was offered by Commissioner Stern, who moved its
adoption. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Friedland, and upon being put to
a vote, the vote was as follows:
Commissioner Amit Bloom Yes
Commissioner Rachel S. Friedland Yes
Commissioner Billy Joel Yes
Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks Yes
Commissioner Michael Stern Yes
Vice Mayor Paul A. Kruss Yes
Mayor Howard S. Weinberg Yes
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 5th day of March, 2024.
•
'- . OWARD S. WEINBERG, ESf'
MAYOR
ATTEST:
ELLISA L. HORVAT C
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL SUFFICIENCY:
ROBERT MEYERS
CITY ATTORNEY
WEISS SEROTA HELFMAN COLE + BIERMAN, P.L.
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