MISSION

To administer the retirement benefit plan for the Fire Fighters and Police Officers of the City of Miami.

GOALS and OBJECTIVES

  • To provide effective services to all active and retired members.
  • To accumulate, manage and disburse the retirement fund assets in accordance with fiduciary standards, actuarial soundness and all applicable statutes, ordinances and regulations.
  • To maximize investment returns while exercising a prudent investment policy.

Retirement Program

The earliest origin of a retirement program for the City of Miami occurred on May 8, 1931 with the passage of Chapter 15338 of Florida Laws, which created the "Pension and/or Retirement Fund for members of the Police and Fire Departments of the City of Miami."

Chapter 18689

In 1937, Chapter 18689 of Florida Laws authorized the City to independently establish a pension fund for all City employees; this extended coverage to include all City employees in addition to the Fire and Police Departments.

Chapter 19112

Chapter 19112 of Florida Laws in 1939 authorized six cities (Jacksonville, Miami, Miami Beach, Tampa, Pensacola and St. Petersburg) to levy a 1% excise tax on fire and tornado insurance for the purpose of funding fire fighter pension plans. Fourteen years later in 1953, Chapter 28230 of Florida Laws provided for similar funding for police pension plans.

Miami City Employees' Retirement System

The "Miami City Employees' Retirement System" was adopted by the Miami City Commission on December 6, 1939 and became operational on January 1, 1940. Every regular and permanent employee of the City had the right to participate in the system.

Retirement System was split

In 1976 the Retirement System was split into the "Retirement System" (a plan for police officers and fire fighters) and the "Retirement Plan" (a plan for general employees).

Gates vs. The City of Miami

In 1979 a group of employees joined to file a lawsuit against the City, known as Gates vs. The City of Miami. It was based upon the questionable use of tax funds that were provided under state law for exclusive local pension fund use.

Gates vs. Miami lawsuit was settled

On May 23, 1985 the Gates vs. Miami lawsuit was settled. The major result was the formal creation of two distinct and separately governed plans, the "City of Miami Fire Fighters' and Police Officers' Retirement Trust" (FIPO) and the City of Miami General Employees' and Sanitation Employees' Retirement Trust" (GESE).

Deferred Retirement Option Program

Recent innovative additions to the benefits available to members are the DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Program) as a self-directed supplemental plan and the BACDROP.