Miami’s municipal employee unions — big backers of Eileen Higgins in last fall’s mayoral election and proponents of next week’s $450 million public safety bond referendum — enjoy an unusual perk: Eight employees are excused from their city jobs to represent their unions full time, while collectively drawing more than $1 million a year in taxpayer-funded salaries.
Tag: Inside City Hall
Inside City Hall: How Miami Firefighters Retire With Six-Figure Pensions
A Spotlight analysis of retirement records, labor contracts and city payroll data explains why Miami firefighters are far more likely than other city employees to retire with six-figure pensions — and why those costs may continue to grow.
Benefits Boom: How Miami Quietly Turned Bonus Height Into Big Money
As luxury towers rise across Miami, developers are paying millions of dollars into a little-known city fund that trades bonus height and density for cash — fueling parks projects, affordable housing deals and growing concerns about overdevelopment.


















