No, not your money. The county’s money – and how they should spend it. A $7.8 billion budget is no joke, and right now commissioners are making really important decisions about it. There’s room for you in the room.

That’s the message that District 8 Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava and Radical Partners Managing Director Sarah Emmons have for you today, along with a couple pro tips for making your voice heard – effectively.

1. You don’t have to read the whole dang budget – the overview will probably cover it. Then you can dive deep on the areas really concern you.
2. Two-thirds of the budget goes to neighborhoods and infrastructure, public safety, and transportation – and only 4 percent of the total budget is actually flexible.
3. Now is the best time to voice your opinion, not the public hearings in September. There are workshops across the county this month where you can do that.

Get the full rundown on our website, including all the upcoming public workshops where you can weigh in on how you want the county to spend your tax dollars.

Just up there ☝ we doled out some pro-tips on how to engage in the county budget process. Here are the workshops where you can actually do that:

Tuesday, Aug. 14, 6 p.m.

• West Dade Regional Library (9445 Coral Way, Miami)
• West Kendall Regional Library (10201 Hammocks Blvd. #159, Miami)
• Milander Center for Arts & Entertainment (4800 Palm Avenue, Hialeah)
• William F. Dickinson Community Center (1601 N. Krome Avenue, Homestead)

Thursday, Aug. 16, 6PM:

• City of Aventura (19200 West County Club Drive, Aventura)
• North Dade Regional Library (2455 NW 183rd Street, Miami Gardens)
• South Dade Regional Library (10750 SW 211th Street, Cutler Bay)
• Arcola Lakes Branch Library (8240 NW 7th Avenue, Miami)

Got an opportunity, workshop, scholarship, grant, etc. you want other curious locals to know about? Hit us up at [email protected] to have it listed here.

Not in the cards. Last week, City of Miami commissioners dealt a tough hand to the developers planning a new poker room and jai alai fronton in Edgewater. They approved a change to the city code that would require four out of five commissioners to approve new gaming operations in the city (instead of the usual three votes). In response, the owners of Magic City Casino, and the ones granted a gambling license for the Edgewater property, are threatening to sue the city. (Miami Herald)

Foodies and nerds, unite. The hosts of the Gastropod podcast, which looks at food through a scientific lens, are coming to Miami for a food tasting and live version of their podcast. They’ll be looking to answer important questions about chocolate and the science behind aphrodisiacs, so come with an open mind and empty belly. (Miami.com)

It’s not 2016 but… Folks are still trying to understand what the hell happened in the 2016 presidential election, and a new map from the New York Times takes an even deeper dive into how support split between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Some interesting notes in the 305: Fisher Island was the only Trump-leaning spot in a sea of blue. The biggest support for Clinton came in areas like Miami Gardens, while Trump had major support in South Dade near the Redlands and out in the western ‘burbs like Miami Lakes. (New York Times)

Sacred ground. Lincoln Memorial Park, once called “The Most Negro Cemetery of the South” is the burial place for several of Miami’s black pioneers, including D.A. Dorsey, the city’s first black millionaire, and H.E.S. Reeves, the founder of the Miami Times. But the cemetery itself fell into  disrepair. Now it’s the focus of an exhibit at the Coral Gables Museum, with the goal of encouraging Miamians to dig into Lincoln Memorial’s history. Be sure to peep the gorgeous photos in the story. (Miami Herald)

More boats than trees. Years after about about 300 mangroves were illegally cut down to make way for the Miami International Boat Show on Virginia Key, the plans to replace the trees are still caught in a lot of red tape. Long story short: There was no real agreement between City of Miami and county officials on the best way to replace the trees, and in the midst of another hurricane season, local officials are worried because mangroves provide crucial protection against storm surge.(Miami Herald)

Private school prejudice. Current and former students at Miami Country Day, one of the 305’s top schools, said the private school has had a longstanding problem with racist bullying. Black students described being called a “coon” or “ghetto” in class and noticing white students speaking to black students in ebonics. The school has taken steps to diversify the student body in recent years, but many students still think more should be done to address the issue. (We agree.) (WLRN)

THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY.

But for all the foodies out there, be sure to check this list of restaurants every Miamian should try. It includes classics like Versailles, Tropical Chinese, Casola’s and more, so dig in.

We’ll see ya tomorrow. And we wouldn’t turn down a Casola’s pizza, if you’re feeling generous.

– The New Tropic