Mary Estimé-Irvin voted to raise your water rates
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The record
- Oct. 12, 2021: Estimé-Irvin seconded the motion adopting the Black & Veatch water and sewer rate study. Source: Council video, Oct. 12, 2021 (city meeting portal); rate study, page 3.
- Oct. 26, 2021: she voted yes on Ordinance 1473, which set rate increases for each of five years, 2022 through 2026. Source: Council video, Oct. 26, 2021 (city meeting portal); ordinance text, page 2; City of North Miami Utility Billing page.
- The study’s yearly increases, compounded, add up to 36% for water and 41% for sewer over five years (our calculation). Source: Rate study, Table 2 (water 6, 7, 7, 7, 5%; sewer 9, 8, 7, 7, 5%).
- Oct. 1, 2025: water rates rose 8.40% and sewer rates 8.60%. Source: City of North Miami Utility Billing page.
- The Mayor and Council budget went from $1,671,579 (2021-22) to $3,002,688 (2025-26), up 79.6% (our calculation). Source: City adopted budgets: FY2021-22, Budget in Brief p. 46; FY2025-26, Budget in Brief p. 42.
- The city events budget went from $550,844 (2021-22) to $2,682,309 (2025-26), including $1,000,000 for the Centennial. Source: City adopted budgets: FY2021-22, Community Events p. 178; FY2025-26, Special Events p. 172 (Centennial line).
- Sept. 25, 2025: she voted yes on the 2025-26 budget. Source: Council video, Sept. 25, 2025 (city meeting portal).
- Across the four budgets from 2022-23 through 2025-26, the council budgeted $7,556,364 more for its own offices and city events than the 2021-22 level would have (our calculation). Source: City adopted budgets listed above.
- 2024: she sponsored a resolution naming the city title sponsor of Raboday Fest for $100,000. It was tabled April 9, 2024; no vote was taken. Source: City resolution, April 9, 2024 council packet (add-on item).
Current rates: Utility Billing and Fees & Charges (City of North Miami).
Transcript
Council video: "This is not fun, but it is responsible." (Councilwoman Estimé-Irvin, Oct. 12, 2021)
Narrator: October 2021. Councilwoman Mary Estimé-Irvin backed the plan to raise your water and sewer rates every year for five years.
Council video: The motion was seconded by Councilwoman Estimé-Irvin.
Council video: (Oct. 26, 2021 roll call) Councilwoman Estimé-Irvin, how do you vote? Yes.
Narrator: Rates have gone up every year since 2021. Over five years, that adds up to 36 percent more for water. 41 percent more for sewer.
Narrator: In the same years, the budget for the mayor and council's own offices went up almost eighty percent.
Narrator: The city's events budget went from five hundred fifty thousand dollars to two point seven million. A million of it for the Centennial.
Narrator: And her vote on that budget?
Council video: (Sept. 25, 2025 roll call) Councilwoman Estimé-Irvin, how do you vote? Yes.
Narrator: In 2024, she sponsored a resolution to spend one hundred thousand dollars of city money on a one-day festival.
Narrator: Add it up. Since 2022, the council has budgeted seven and a half million dollars more for its own offices and for events.
Council video: "This is not fun, but it is responsible." (Councilwoman Estimé-Irvin, Oct. 12, 2021)
Narrator: Mary Estimé-Irvin voted to raise your water rates. Election Day is November third.
Council audio is from the city's council video.