MIAMI (WSVN) - Two controversial items were given the greenlight at a Miami-Dade County commission meeting on Wednesday.
The first one is whether to ban the use of plastic and Styrofoam at county-owned buildings and like Miami International Airport, Port Miami, county parks, and offices.
Instead, they would sell aluminum bottles or cans or serve food on washable ceramic plates.
On Wednesday, in a 10-3 vote, commissioners approved the plan.
The resolution marks the latest chapter in the long battle between the state and local government over attempts to ban single-use plastics.
Some people in favor of the proposal applauded the commissioners.
“Just asking people to pick better products that would reduce their waste, very specifically, single-use plastics that are polluting our bay,” said Clean Up Co-Founder Dave Doebler.
Many environmental activists said this move would make the environment safer.
But others, like District 11 County Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez, think it’s a big mistake.
“Aluminum, let’s just aluminum for example, it’s 25-30% more expensive. What’s going to happen here is that small businesses are going to have to pass on that cost to our residents. They are the ones that are going to bear the brunt of it,” said Gonzalez.
Secondly, the commissioners accepted Miami Beach’s new proposal to contribute $10 million towards the county’s homeless trust after weeks of going back and forth.
In late October and in the middle of early voting, the City of Miami Beach voted to rescind an item from the ballot. The measure would’ve authorized a 1% food and beverage tax and generated $10 million to support homeless and domestic centers.
In response, Miami-Dade County fined the city $10 million.
Ron Book, the Chairman of the Trust said every other municipality in the county already contributes and now its time for Miami Beach to help too.
“We’re down to 1,004 unhoused in our community and while shelters continue to be bursting at the seams at a little over 2,700 we believe that these funds will allow us to create more housing opportunities,” said Book.
He said he was pleased with the commissioners’ decision.
“I think a lot of people question where we are and whether we can reach an end but we’ve decreased the unhoused, homelessness community by 90% over the three decades of the trust existence. We see a light at the end of the tunnel,” said Book.
In addition, Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust will receive a big financial boost from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. He and his fiancé are providing the organization with a $5 million grant.
“Their fund is dedicated to ending homelessness nationwide. The $5 million gift that they awarded us today after five months of vetting what we do is additional,” said Book.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.