Local Politics · Miami-Dade County
Early voting for the general election runs from Oct. 19 through Nov. 1 in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and through Oct. 31 in Monroe County. Voters will decide races including governor (Byron Donalds vs. David Jolly), a U.S. Senate special election (Ashley Moody vs. Angie Nixon), and Congressional seats for FL-25 and FL-27. Ballot measures include Amendment 3, which would raise the homestead exemption from $50,000 to $150,000 in 2027 and $250,000 in 2028, plus school-funding property-tax referendums in Miami-Dade and Broward. City of Miami Referendum 3 proposes leasing 30 acres of Virginia Key for a new marina development.
Education · Broward County
School districts in Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach counties are urging voters to approve a one-mill property tax renewal on the Nov. 3 ballot, warning that rejection would eliminate hundreds of millions in funding for teacher pay, school safety personnel, and mental health services. District leaders fear voter confusion with Amendment 3, a separate measure that would reduce property taxes used for public services. Miami-Dade officials estimate a $500 million loss could drop teacher salaries from $73,030 to $57,814; Broward faces a roughly $358 million annual shortfall affecting about 13,400 teachers receiving supplements; Palm Beach warns approximately 900 choice-program teachers would lose jobs and pay would fall $8,000 annually. The one-mill levy costs homeowners about $418 per year in Broward County. State law requires these referendums every four years, with the current authorization running through mid-2031.
Community News · Broward County
Florida leads the nation in Medicare Advantage plan discontinuations for 2027, with about 81,000 enrollees across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties affected by plans ending or merging. In Broward County, available plans drop from 119 to 106, while Palm Beach County falls from 121 to 111; Aetna PPO plans are being terminated in Palm Beach County, and HealthSpring is exiting all three South Florida counties entirely. Enrollees whose plans end must select a replacement by Dec. 31 or automatically fall into Original Medicare without prescription drug coverage or a Medigap supplement. Insurers including Humana and UnitedHealthcare are shifting from PPOs to HMOs, trimming supplemental benefits like dental, vision and gym memberships, while Special Needs Plans grow to about two-thirds of Florida offerings.
