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Fire, Street Fees Are Considered
Last Modified: Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 7:01 a.m.
BARTOW | Residents may find themselves paying more for fire service and street repairs in 2009, based on commissioners' budget discussions Wednesday.
City Manager George Long suggested that the city consider creating assessments for these areas, which would free up money in Bartow's ever-tightening budget.
Administrators could spend the next year setting up programs to assess the fees, and implement the charges in the 2009-10 fiscal year, he said.
A street assessment would allow the city to borrow the money to make sweeping repairs to roads throughout the city up front and repay the loan as the annual assessments are collected.
A fire assessment would cover that department's estimated $2.6 million budget, which would send that money back into the general fund for other programs.
Long is proposing an annual assessment for solid waste as well, including expenses for garbage collection and recycling. Residents are already paying that fee but it is tacked on to their monthly utility bills at the rate of $18 per month.
Long wants to make that an annual $226 payment on the annual property tax bill.
Residents would pay the same amount under the new proposal, they'd just pay it at a different time and place.
He's asking the commission to consider appropriating $150,000 in the coming fiscal year, beginning Oct. 1, to evaluate the best way to assess the fees and to implement the new charges.
In their review of the 2008-09 proposed $71.7 million spending plan Wednesday, commissioners also talked about different property tax options to increase revenue.
Right now, the budget is based on a tax rate of $3.11 for every $1,000 in taxable property value.
For residents living in a $200,000 house with a combined $50,000 homestead exemption, the city's property tax rate would cost them about $466 per year.
If the tax rate is increased to $4.01, which the commission was considering Wednesday, those same homeowners would be paying the city $601 in property taxes.
The increased rate would generate an additional $513,000 for the city, after backing out funding for the city's Community Redevelopment Agency.
Commissioners have to decide on a proposed tax rate by Aug. 4. Once that is set, they can lower the rate but not raise it.
Under Amendment 1, the homestead exemption was expanded. Homeowners now receive the first $25,000 reduction in their assessed value. followed by a write-off of $25,000 for the assessed value from $50,000 to $75,000. So a homeowner whose home is valued at $50,000 would pay taxes on $25,000, while a homeowner whose home is valued at $75,000 would also pay taxes on $25,000.
During Wednesday's workshop, commissioners also talked about splitting the residential utility bills in two, allowing customers to pay the electric portion at one time, and the water and sewer portion about two weeks later.
For now, the budget doesn't include employee raises, but Long said commissioners can use some of the estimated $687,570 in their reserve account for that purpose.
David Wright, the city's finance director, said an average 3 percent raise across the board would cost between $500,000 and $600,000 per year.
[ Suzie Schottelkotte can be reached at suzie.schottelkotte@theledger.com or 863-533-9070. ]
This story appeared in print on page B4
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Comments
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July 24, 2008 4:43:22 am
RE: http://www.theledger.com/article/20080724/NEWS/807240456
I love it. I guess it's time for all those citizens that wanted to keep the police to start paying for those services. Hope you don't mind a few dozen more tax hikes.
July 24, 2008 6:12:24 am
I'm assuming that the reporter means "property owner" when she refers to "resident". These proposals aren't just for residential properties, are they?
July 24, 2008 6:18:06 pm
These fees, Scooby.
July 24, 2008 7:27:17 pm
This will just be the beginning. Get ready for in increased utility and property taxes. Everyone laughed last year when I said the city was in a financial tight. Now look at the place. It will take more than fire fees to dig the city out of this hole.
I remember a guy standing up before the city commission when the PD thing came up and basically said "Even if you raise property taxes, I want my PD". I bet he really didn't think THAT would happen. Probably real popular in his neighborhood if it happens.
July 24, 2008 11:09:41 pm
So, if they're fees, does that mean the government-owned properties and churches have to pay too?
July 25, 2008 1:54:27 am
I keep hearing everyone talk as though the city money crunch is the fault of the PD. Its not!!! the idea of the merger was only a suggestion how to dig themselves out of a whole. Why not merge the fire department, or disband the commission? That would save money!!!! Right?The Pd didn't raise the bills, the PD didn't raise property taxes!!!! Why would they need to go? Why not another city agency?
July 25, 2008 4:28:23 am
Tater, I believe churches are tax exempt. Always have been. I don't think you're going to get much traction on the "charge the Girl Scouts and any other non-profit rent, dammit" argument.l The budget crunch is much, much larger than any revenue that could be generated by holding any non-profits hostagge.
Wilsided - I'm not sure anyone said the PD has created the cash crunch. Amendment 1 is partly to blame, and if you haven't noticed, several cities in this county are feeling the pinch, as is state government.
What is not disputed by anyone is that the PD is in need of a major,very expensive, overhaul if it's to be brought up to 2008 standards. So, add that money to the money that wasn't saved by the merger and it's a very, very expensive proposition.
The city commission opted not to save money and go to an established, professional law enforcement agency, but stick with one that has slowly deteriorated over the years. It's an expensive decision we'll all have to pay for - in many ways. I bet Dundee is wishing they had switched. Just a few months after they voted to keep their tired little PD they're so tight on money that 25% of the employees may lose their jobs. From the Ledger recently : "Severe revenue problems could force the town of Dundee to cut about 25 percent of its 40 employees, raise property tax rates and increase fees for services, Town Manager Charles Saddler warned the Town Council on Tuesday night."On a side note, one of our regulars here posted that BPD rakes in a lot of money on false alarm fees. Looks like it generated interest by the Ledger, who promptly put that false rumor out of it's misery:
False info on Bartow false alarm fees"I've been watching with interest recently as readers have commented on The Ledger's article forum regarding Sheriff Judd's proposal to take over the Bartow Police Department. One issue came up that sent me running to the city's budget, and I thought I'd use this forum, so to speak, to set the record straight.
A reader said the Police Department brings in a lot of money on false alarm fees. According to the city's records, the Police Department has taken in $275 since last September in alarm-related fees. The Fire Department has accrued $100 in false alarm charges."WOW!!!!!!!! $275 whole dollars since last September? We're RICH!!!!!!!!! That will purchase about 4.41
July 25, 2008 6:21:42 am
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Scoobydowhat?:
Tater, I believe churches are tax exempt. Always have been. I don't think you're going to get much traction on the "charge the Girl Scouts and any other non-profit rent, dammit" argument.l The budget crunch is much, much larger than any revenue that could be generated by holding any non-profits hostagge.Scooby, I know that churches are tax exempt but I don't believe they're exempt from "fees". Don't they have to pay SWFWMD and other such charges that are directly related to the use/protection of their property? Do they have to pay fire fees in the county? Landfill fees? I'm not sure, just wondering. It is particularly important in places like Bartow. I've read that one third of the properties in the CRA boundaries are tax exempt. Fire and PD have to staff/equip to serve them, too, so why should the rest of us bear the burden of that expense? Balking at having to contribute to parks and recreation, the library, golf course, etc. is one thing. Complaining about having to pay their fair share of police, fire, stormwater services that they indeed create a need for is something else. If they into doing such good works, I suggest one of those good works be to get out of the wagon and push. Not to mention, government activities. I think we had to pay $625,000 for one ladder truck that the courthouse is the only building in town tall enough to need. Then there's the County Administration Building, Sheriff's Office, County jail, Supervisor of Elections, Tax Collector, Property Appraiser, School Board, DOT office, two agriculture operations, cigar factory, DJJ, etc., etc., etc. There are only 16,000 people in this little town. It's breaking our backs.
Wilsided - I'm not sure anyone said the PD has created the cash crunch. Amendment 1 is partly to blame, and if you haven't noticed, several cities in this county are feeling the pinch, as is state government.
What is not disputed by anyone is that the PD is in need of a major,very expensive, overhaul if it's to be brought up to 2008 standards. So, add that money to the money that wasn't saved by the merger and it's a very, very expensive proposition.
And would not be getting any cheaper. I dare you to sit there and say that if the Sheriff's Dept. took over the PD that a tax
July 25, 2008 10:20:05 am
While it's true that without the courthouse Bartow wouldn't need the truck, it's also true that without the courthouse (and other government offices) we wouldn't have 1/2 of what we have. It would be a little do nothing, go nowhere town.
Oh, we'd have increased taxes with or without PCSO taking over the PD. It's just going to happen faster and hurt more. If you want to know what the city finances are, go get a copy of the budget. It's public record.
July 25, 2008 10:23:27 am
That was a joke, right?
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