Miami-Dade General Employees Letter to Board of County Commissioners Concerning Clerk of Courts Financial Crisis
Miami Springs, FL – This week, Se'Adoreia “CeeCee” Brown, president of AFSCME Local 199, sent the below letter to the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners. The letter underscores what is at stake in the Clerk of Courts’ current financial shortfall and the union’s support of Harvey Ruvin’s efforts to correct the situation.
AFSCME Local 199 represents workers in the Clerk of Courts.
To learn more about the situation or speak with President Brown or impacted workers, please call Mark McCullough at (202) 607-9072.
Last year, 600,000 residents made use of the Miami-Dade Clerk of Courts front counter services at locations around the county. The popular satellite offices allow residents and businesses to make important payments, get marriage licenses or even have a civil ceremony performed, obtain driver’s and criminal histories, witness wills and much more. This is all done without creating hundreds of thousands of more trips into downtown Miami that would add to traffic, parking and other congestion issues.
But after eight years of budgets being cut or held flat, the department can no longer do more with less.
Unless the County provides relief, 123 positions will have to be eliminated, 70 hardworking county employees will be laid off and Public Service Counters at seven satellite offices will be shuttered. Our neighbors will suffer considerable loss to their court system.
Citizens who rely on fast, friendly and knowledgeable help at the Hialeah District Court, Martin Luther King Office, North Dade Justice Center, Miami Beach District Court, Coral Gables District Court, South Dade Justice Center and the Sweetwater sub-office will no longer be able to as of Friday, September 8. And dozens of families in our community will suffer the pain of job loss.
AFSCME Local 199 is working closely with Clerk of Courts Harvey Ruvin to find a solution for this award-winning and nationally-respected department. There are ways to prevent the loss of services and the strain faced by the entire County if six dozen more employees have to be added to the overburdened Pipeline jobs program.
While the state legislature has failed to provide a sustainable funding formula at this point, we do believe a legislative solution is possible if we work together and make it a priority in the upcoming session for our delegation. In the meantime, we hope that Miami-Dade County can provide a financial bridge to ensure these employees keep their jobs, the services continue to be provided and our neighbors continue to have the access to their court system that made Miami-Dade County a national leader.
In solidarity,
Se'Adoreia “CeeCee” Brown
President, AFSCME Local 199
Miami-Dade General Employees
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AFSCME Local 199 is comprised of the hardworking men and women who make Miami-Dade County happen every day. Although our job duties vary greatly, we’re all public servants. Our dedication to quality services, progress and equal representation covers many issues and unites us all.
Twitter: @AFSCMELOCAL199
Facebook: AFSCME199
