Higgins is backing Referendum 1, arguing that Miami’s police headquarters and fire stations have deteriorated to the point that public safety and emergency response are at risk. She says the police headquarters is overcrowded and has plumbing, flooding, restroom and electrical problems. Many fire stations, she said, are old and lack room for emergency vehicles.

The bond would fund renovations, new facilities and a new public safety headquarters. Higgins has also said response times lag in some underserved areas. She cited waits of nine to 12 minutes for emergency calls, including heart attacks and strokes, to argue that the city cannot afford to delay upgrades.

Commissioners Damian Pardo and Christine King agree that the facilities need work but oppose the referendum, questioning how the city would pay for it. Pardo said residents already facing high costs for essentials such as groceries, rent and gas should not be asked to take on another expense. King said the bond is borrowing that must ultimately be repaid through taxes.

Pardo estimated that the owner of a $500,000 home could pay about $194 more annually and $6,000 over the bond’s 30-year term. Higgins, by contrast, said the average homeowner’s cost in the first year would be $2.38 a month. Supporters have said the measure would not change the debt millage rate, while opponents stress that borrowing still carries a cost for taxpayers.

Higgins argues that waiting will make the work more expensive, citing construction-cost increases of 4% to 5% a year. She estimated that each year of delay would add about $20 million to the project.

Pardo and King have suggested exploring other funding options, including public-private partnerships. Higgins said the city should not depend on developers whose priorities may differ from the city’s. The referendum puts voters in the position of deciding whether the proposed upgrades justify the long-term borrowing and tax burden.