attended last nite’s meeting re: millage rate. Only maybe 4-6 people spoke up. Guess what? The commission then voted to pass as is with a 12.2x % increase in property tax collections planned.
Our businesses and snowbirds will continue to be the ones most affected by this since they are not protected by the FL homestead act. BTW I think that was 2/3 of our population- maybe I have that reversed?
The Fire dept special assessment was also increased. What should be noted here is that the city has moved items out of the general or operating budget for the fire department. So we used to collect some money for fire dept from general property taxes and some from the special assessment. Logically, we should have seen our property taxes go down the same percentage the Fire Dept. special assessment went up. No, that didn’t really happen. (note the exact fund movement may not be perfectly stated as to which monies here since that would require resesarching again, but the tax collection inference is correct)
next meeting
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
7:30 p.m.
City Municipal Complex/Fletcher Hall
2200 NE 38 Street
I sure hope more people turn out or email our commissioners if they can’t make it next time. This last meeting was actually one of the shorter I attended. Almost everyone left after the millage discussion, but the next hearing was on the actual budget. People should stay and speak out for both next time. It was all over about 9 PM.