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Mayor’s Message continued

Of the general fund, about 36 percent is dedicated to the Fourth, our public enjoyment of waterways remains a
Police Department and 25 percent to Fire Rescue. That adds treasured tradition in Fort Lauderdale—and a formal
up to nearly two-thirds of your tax dollars dedicated directly Commission priority.
toward keeping you safe and our city secure.
We intend to continue fostering vibrant and environmentally
Beyond the basic funding for our first responders, this budget responsible waterfront spaces for all residents. After all, it’s
takes further action to increase safety. our waterways that make Fort Lauderdale truly unique.
We’re buying more CCTV cameras to observe high-traffic We expand our program that regularly provides reports on the
areas along with more vehicle stop devices and more license quality of waters in the city’s canals and rivers so recreational
plate reader message boards. We also will open the new enthusiasts have all the information they want when they
police station and launch a pilot program to enforce speed venture out for a day of activity. We also partner with Coastal
limits in school zones with traffic cameras. We budget money Conservation of Florida to cultivate oysters along the New
for a new Fire Station 13 at Birch State Park and two new River to improve water quality and enhance biodiversity.
EMS substations.
We’re investing deeply in public safety to ensure you feel secure
We’re also making meaningful progress on homelessness in your homes, schools, businesses and neighborhoods. We’re
response by allocating resources to pathways out of taking a compassionate approach to homelessness, turning
homelessness and into stable housing. The budget emphasizes funding from events into support and pathways out of crisis.
homelessness as a dedicated priority of the City Commission. We’re modernizing our city’s foundations — accelerating
We created a program to make shelter beds more accessible infrastructure improvements and resilience while holding
and start a new pilot program to provide safes spaces for ourselves to high performance standards. And we’re honoring
people who only own a car to park and sleep overnight. We our identity by preserving and enhancing our waterways,
will post signage warning that panhandling is illegal, and we so residents and visitors alike can continue to enjoy our
will reinforce our mental health and substance abuse treatment coastlines, canals, and public spaces.
programs as well as our program to navigate the homeless All of this rests on the pillars of accountability and innovation
toward housing.
as the city manager re-aligns operations for focus and
Notably, funding previously allocated for events like the FIFA responsiveness. The budget is balanced, responsive,
World Cup — about $350,000 — has been re-directed to and ambitious — built for today’s needs and tomorrow’s
address homeless initiatives, demonstrating our commitment to opportunities.
shifting resources toward compassion and solutions that matter.
Together, we’re building a safer, more caring, more resilient,
The third pillar of our priorities is infrastructure and and water-loving Fort Lauderdale.
resilience—essential for adapting to climate impacts and
ensuring we keep pace with growth.
Sincerely,
We accelerate infrastructure projects to improve the water,
wastewater, stormwater systems and make us more resilient to Dean Trantalis
sea-level rise and extreme weather. We’re revolutionizing how Mayor, City of Fort Lauderdale
infrastructure projects are managed by establishing a new
Capital Projects Department with clear performance goals:
fewer change orders that increase prices and more projects
completed on time. That means faster, smarter delivery of
parks, roadways and drainage systems.
For instance, we will initiate construction of stormwater
improvements in Victoria Park, Melrose Manors and the
Southeast Isles We also speed up work in Dorsey-Riverbend to
finish a year early. Most importantly, we finish the construction
of the city’s new water treatment plant — a secure facility that
will ensure clean, clear drinking water for decades to come.

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