The City of Miami filed an application with the county for an exemption from paying as much as $1.5 million in property taxes for the Miami Marlins parking garages, according to the Miami Herald.
County Property Appraiser Pedro Garcia Jr. said that the city will likely have to pay for the new ballpark’s four parking garages in Little Havana, but now Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and other officials are trying to fight it.
To deter Garcia Jr.’s verdict, Miami found legislators in Tallahassee that may pass a bill to exempt them from paying, but a Florida House member is saying it may be unconstitutional.
A Florida Supreme Court precedent in 2001 ruled that government buildings used for-profit by a private entity make them ineligible for tax exemptions.
The property has to serve some public purpose in order to be exempt from paying taxes.
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Julie Bru, Miami City Attorney, pointed out more than once that the garage could be used by the public for up to 14 hours on game days, 24 hours on others, and every day of the year.
Garcia is awaiting Tallahassee’s decision which he will review with the county’s attorneys, but his final decision doesn’t have to be made till June when the county’s tax rolls are due, although it could be made sooner.
The City of Miami built the garages by issuing $100 million in bonds and selling the 5,700 spaces for $10 each to the Marlins to help pay off the debt.
If the city isn’t able to profit back the $100 million through planned revenues, they may have to take out money from its general fund to cover an extra $1.5 million in property taxes.
