Miami will elect a new mayor this year amid unprecedented scrutiny of climate programs by federal and state Republicans.
Facing intense vulnerability to sea-level rise, Miami is in the midst of a long-term effort to harden neighborhoods and infrastructure against flooding. The city is issuing $400 million in debt — known as Miami Forever Bonds — to finance climate adaptation and other projects. The plan relies on property taxes to repay the bonds.
But Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and other Republican state officials are seeking to drastically curtail local property taxes. To help build the case that local governments waste too much money, DeSantis has dispatched officials with Florida DOGE — modeled on the federal Department of Government Efficiency — to audit city and county governments, with “green new deal” spending as a major focus.
Miami and its surrounding county also are grappling with the Trump administration’s squeeze on federal climate funding, with more than $30 million for flood control and other resiliency projects canceled this year.
