Miami-Dade County, Florida

Miami-Dade County (formerly known as Dade County) is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of the 2000 U.S. census, the population was 2,253,362, making it the most populated county in the state. The 2005 census estimate indicated a population of 2,376,014, making it the eighth most populous county in the nation. Its county seat is Miami, located in the northeastern part.

Miami-Dade County is one of three counties that comprise the South Florida metropolitan area.

History

Dade County was created in 1836. It was named for Major Francis L. Dade, a soldier killed in 1835 in the Second Seminole War, at what has since been named the Dade Battlefield. The county seat was originally at Indian Key in the Florida Keys. The name was changed to Miami-Dade County on July 22, 1997 after being approved by voters.

The second-costliest natural disaster to occur in the United States was the disastrous Hurricane Andrew, which hit this county early Monday morning on August 24, 1992. It struck the central part of the county from due east, south of Miami and very near Homestead, Kendall, and Cutler Ridge (now the Town of Cutler Bay). Damages numbered over 25 billion dollars in the county alone, and recovery has taken years in these areas where the destruction was greatest.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 6,297 km² (2,431 mi²). 5,040 km² (1,946 mi²) of it is land and 1,257 km² (485 mi²) of it (19.96%) is water, most of which is Biscayne Bay, with another significant portion in the adjacent waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

The bay is divided from the Atlantic Ocean by the many barrier isles along the coast, one of which is where well-known Miami Beach is located, home to South Beach and the Art Deco district. The Florida Keys,which are also barrier islands are only accessible through Miami-Dade County, but which are otherwise part of neighboring Monroe County.

Miami is the only metropolitan area in the United States that borders two national parks. Biscayne National Park is located east of the mainland, in Biscayne Bay, and the western third of Miami-Dade County lies within Everglades National Park.

Adjacent Counties

Demographics

As of the census ² of 2000, there were 2,253,362 people, 776,774 households, and 548,402 families residing in the county. The population density was 447/km² (1,158/mi²). There were 852,278 housing units at an average density of 169/km² (438/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 69.70% White, 29.29% Black (with a large part being of Caribbean descent) and African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.41% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.58% from other races, and 3.79% from two or more races. 55.32% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Non-Hispanic whites make up 13.67% of the population. 50% of the county residents were born outside the United States, while 67% of the population speaks a language other than English at home.

In languages, Miami-Dade is unusual among U.S. counties because the mother tongue of the majority of the population is not English. As of the census of 2000, Spanish was the first language of 59.2% of the population, English, 32.1%, Haitian Creole, 4.1%, Portuguese, 1.1%, Russian, 1.0%, Hebrew 0.8%, French, 0.7%, Italian 0.4%, other 0.7%.

There were 776,774 households out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 17.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.84 and the average family size was 3.35.

The age distribution is 24.8% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,966, and the median income for a family was $40,260. Males had a median income of $30,120 versus $24,686 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,497. About 14.5% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.9% of those under age 18 and 18.9% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

**Presidential elections results**
Year	Republican	Democrat
2004	46.6% ''361,095	52.9% ''409,732
2000	46.3% ''289,574	52.6% ''328,867
1996	37.9% ''209,740	57.3% ''317,555
1992	43.2% ''235,313	46.7% ''254,609
1988	55.3% ''270,937	44.3% ''216,970
1984	59.2% ''144,281	40.8% ''223,863
1980	50.7% ''265,888	40.2% ''210,868
1976	40.5% ''211,148	58.1% ''303,047
1972	58.9% ''256,529	40.8% ''177,693
1968	37.0% ''135,222	48.4% ''176,689
1964	36.0% ''117,480	64.0% ''208,941
1960	42.3% ''134,506	57.7% ''183,114

Miami-Dade County has operated under a unique metropolitan system of government, a "two-tier federation," since 1957. This was made possible when Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1956 that allowed the people of Dade County (as it was known then) to enact a home rule charter. Prior to this year, home rule did not exist in Florida, and counties were only able to exercise those powers specifically granted to them under the Florida Constitution and state law. Local laws could only be enacted by a special act of the Legislature.

Federation, not total consolidation

Unlike a consolidated city-county, where the city and county governments merge into a single entity, these two entities remain separate. Instead there are two "tiers", or levels, of government: city and county. There are 35 municipalites in the county, the City of Miami being the largest.

Cities are the "lower tier" of local government, providing police and fire protection, zoning and code enforcement, and other typical city services within their jurisdiction. These services are paid for by city taxes. The County is the "upper tier", and it provides services of a metropolitan nature, such as emergency management, airport and seaport operations, public housing and health care services, transportation, environmental services, solid waste disposal etc. These are funded by county taxes, which are assessed on all incorporated and unincorporated areas.

Of the county's 2.2 million total residents (as of 2000), approximately 52% live in unincorporated areas, the majority of which are heavily urbanized. These residents are part of the Unincorporated Municipal Services Area (UMSA). For these residents, the County fills the role of both lower- and upper-tier government, the County Commission acting as their lower-tier municipal representative body. Residents within UMSA pay an UMSA tax, equivalent to a city tax, which is used to provide County residents with equivalent city services (police, fire, zoning, water and sewer, etc.). Residents of incorporated areas do not pay UMSA tax.

Structure of county government

The Executive Mayor of Miami-Dade County is elected countywide to serve a four-year term. The Mayor is not a member of the County Commission. The Mayor appoints a County Manager, with approval and consent of the Board of County Commissioners, to oversee the operations of the County Departments. The Mayor has veto power over the Commission. The current mayor is Cuban-borned Carlos Alvarez.

The Board of County Commissioners is the legislative body, consisting of 13 members elected from single-member districts. Members are elected to serve four-year terms, and elections of members are staggered. The Board chooses a Chairperson, who presides over the Commission, as well as appoints the members of its legislative committees. The Board has a wide array of powers to enact legislation, create departments, and regulate businesses operating within the County. It also has the power to override the Mayor's veto with a two-thirds vote.

The election of Commissioners from single member districts came to be in 1992 after a small but vocal group challenged the at large election system in the courts, arguing that the present system did not allow for the election of African American commissioners, despite the fact that Commissioner Barbara Carey-Shuler had been elected several times. The court, under the ruling of Judge Graham, created the single member district election system. To many in the community, this was the first giant step towards a parochial system of representation, resulting in a general loss of interest on issues of regional importance and focusing instead on neighborhood issues.

Reorganization of constitutional officers

Florida's Constitution provides for four elected officials to oversee executive and administrative functions for each county (called "Constitutional Officers"): Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Supervisor of Elections, and Tax Collector. Each of these offices were reorganized and became subordinate County Departments. Today these positions are appointed by and report to the County Manager.

The most visible distinction between Miami-Dade and other Florida counties is the title of its law enforcement agency. It is the only county in Florida that does not have an elected sheriff, or an agency titled "Sheriff's Office." Instead the equivalent agency is known as the Miami-Dade Police Department, and its leader is known as the Metropolitan Sheriff and Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department.

Independent judiciary and school district

The judicial offices of Clerk of the Circuit Court, State Attorney, and Public Defender are still branches of State government and are therefore independently elected and not part of County government.

In Florida, each county is also a school district. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, is operated by an independently-elected School Board. A professional Superintendent of Schools manages the day-to-day operations of the district, who is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the School Board.

Cities, towns, villages, unincorporated communities, and public high schools

Incorporated

City of Miami Gardens
City of Aventura
Town of Golden Beach
City of Sunny Isles Beach
City of North Miami Beach
City of North Miami
Village of Bal Harbour
Town of Bay Harbor Islands
Village of Indian Creek
Town of Surfside
Village of Biscayne Park
Village of Miami Shores
Village of El Portal
Village of North Bay Village
City of Opa-locka
Town of Miami Lakes
City of Hialeah
City of Hialeah Gardens
Town of Medley
City of Doral
City of Miami Springs
Village of Virginia Gardens
City of Sweetwater
City of Miami
City of Miami Beach
Village of Key Biscayne
City of West Miami
City of Coral Gables
City of South Miami
Village of Pinecrest
Village of Palmetto Bay
City of Cutler Bay
City of Homestead
City of Florida City
City of Islandia

Unincorporated areas and census-designated places

Brownsville(j)
Coral Terrace(o)
Country Club(d)
Country Walk(cc)
Fairlawn(r)
Fountainbleau(k)
Gladeview(i)
Glenvar Heights(q)
Golden Glades(c)
Goulds(hh)
Homestead Base(ll)
Ives Estates(a)
Kendale Lakes(v)
Kendall(u)
Kendall West (a census-defined area west of the Florida Turnpike)(w)
Lakes by the Bay(gg)
Leisure City(kk)
Naranja(jj)
Ojus(b)
Olympia Heights(m)
Palm Springs North(e)
Palmetto Estates(z)
Pinewood(f)
Princeton(ii)
Richmond Heights(aa)
Richmond West(dd)
South Miami Heights(ff)
Sunset(t)
Tamiami(l)
The Crossings(y)
The Hammocks(x)
Three Lakes(bb)
University Park(m)
West Kendall (a neighborhood within the community of Kendall)(u)
West Little River(h)
West Perrine(ee)
Westchester(n)
Westview(g)
Westwood Lakes(s)

City districts and neighborhoods (and recently annexed census-designated places)

Public high schools

See Miami-Dade County Public Schools

Transportation

Street grid

A street grid stretches from downtown Miami throughout the county.

North-south Avenues
Number	Name	Notes
East 6th		State Road 915
(0)	Miami Avenue
West 2nd		State Road 7 (U.S. Route 441)
West 7th		State Road 7 (U.S. Route 441)
West 12th		State Road 933
West 27th		State Road 9 and State Road 817
West 42nd	LeJeune Avenue	State Road 953
West 47th		State Road 847
West 57th	Red Road	State Road 959 and State Road 823
West 67th	Ludlam Road
West 72nd	Milam Dairy Road	State Road 969
West 77th		parallels the Palmetto Expressway (State Road 826)
West 87th		State Road 973
West 107th		State Road 985
West 112th	Allapattah Road	State Road 989
West 117th		parallels the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike (State Road 821)
West 137th		State Road 825
West 177th	Krome Avenue	State Road 997

East-west Streets
Number	Name	Notes
South 186th-200th	Quail Roost Drive	State Road 994
South 152nd	Coral Reef Drive	State Road 992
South 111th-112nd	Killian Drive	State Road 990
South 88th	North Kendall Drive	State Road 94
South 72nd	Sunset Drive	State Road 986
South 56th	Miller Drive
South 40th	Bird Road	State Road 976
South 24th	Coral Way	State Road 972
South 8th (Calle Ocho)	Tamiami Trail	State Road 90 (U.S. Route 41)
(0)	Flagler Street	State Road 968
North 36th		State Road 25 (U.S. Route 27) and State Road 948
North 54th	Hialeah Drive	State Road 944
North 79th		State Road 934
North 103rd		State Road 932
North 125th		State Road 922
North 119th		State Road 924
North 135th		State Road 916
North 167th	Palmetto Expressway	State Road 826
North 183rd	Miami Gardens Drive	State Road 860
North 215th	County Line Road	State Road 852