Manatee commissioners reject proposed property tax rate hike for public safety, keep millage rate unchanged

MANATEE -- The Manatee County Commission voted 5-1 Thursday to keep the millage rate the same for the eighth consecutive year.

Commissioner Robin DiSabatino was the lone dissenter and Commissioner Larry Bustle was absent.

The vote came after a motion to increase the millage rate by .0742 mil to 6.5068 mills was defeated.

The proposed increase was intended to fund 12 more sheriff deputies, dispatchers for increased call volume, staffing a paramedic engine in Myakka and expanded parks security, as well as additional positions in the Property Appraiser's Office.

DiSabatino and commissioners Charles Smith and Carol Whitmore voted to increase the millage rate for public safety with Chairwoman Betsy Benac and commissioners Vanessa Baugh and John Chappie voting against the increase. The 3-3 tie meant the measure failed.

When they couldn't break the tie with the even number voting, commissioners directed county Administrator Ed Hunzeker to talk with Bustle, who is recovering from a stroke, to see whether he wants to have a special meeting Monday. Hunzeker told commission

ers he spoke with Bustle early Thursday and said he would not be available for several weeks.

The commission has until Tuesday to set the tentative maximum millage rate so the property appraiser can mail a truth in millage statement to every property owner notifying them of the proposed property tax levy and public hearing dates.

"If this board wants to reconsider any vote it takes today, it can do so Monday," County Attorney Mickey Palmer said.

Commissioners will not formally adopt the millage rate until Sept. 22 when the final budget is approved. The commission will hold two public budget hearings in September.

There was no property tax rate increase in the $549 million budget Hunzeker proposed for fiscal year 2015-16.

The county millage rate is 7.0435, including .6109 mills for the unincorporated municipal services tax. Hunzeker said unincorporated Manatee County is the least expensive of 27 governmental jurisdictions on the Gulf Coast.

Hunzeker's proposed budget update included an estimated $1.1 million less in tax revenue than originally estimated as well as the flagged items recommended for funding from revenues other than property taxes. At the June budget workshops, commissioners flagged more than $5 million unfunded items they wanted to discuss.

The 11 flagged items now recommended for funding total $1.7 million.

Items recommended for funding include a 19th ambulance for the Parrish area, an education/volunteer specialist in the Parks and Natural Resources Department, pool heaters and gas line for the G.T. Bray Park dive well, marquee sign at the East Bradenton pool, urban watershed master planning and improvements at the Regional Traffic Management Center.

"Things that may not be in there today could be in there in the near future," Baugh said.

Baugh said she is concerned Manatee County faces a potential deficit with the county expected to exhaust the general portion of the budget stabilization reserve fund by 2018.

"We have to start living within our means," Baugh said. "We have obviously not been doing that."

Hunzeker suggested commissioners appoint a citizens committee to look at what the county pays for and how it pays for them.

"I think that's a structural issue we need to look at before we talk about raising any revenue," Hunzeker said. "The budget we presented is sustainable for the two-year period. But in fiscal year '18, we have a financial problem and that's something we need to start addressing in the coming months in order to avoid using all budget stabilization funds."

Smith made a motion to increase the unincorporated municipal services tax to put streetlights in all neighborhoods in unincorporated Manatee County. The motion failed 5-1.

"There are some tough decisions that we need to make," Smith said. "It is really going to start hitting the fan next year, what is taking place. There comes a time when you take a position and this may be the year to do it."

Hunzeker said increasing the millage rate wouldn't make the impending financial situation any better.

"It won't fix the structural problems in our financials and it won't take care of the ongoing challenges in health care and maintaining existing assets and/or diversification in revenues," he said.

Baugh and Benac said there is not enough information or a plan of how to use additional revenue generated from a tax rate increase so they couldn't support an increase now.

"We need to make sure we are spending it wisely and we are doing everything we can to help the taxpayer," Baugh said. "I am not convinced that we've done that."

Benac said she's heard from the public they don't want new taxes.

"No doubt about it," Benac said. "We are just putting a Band-Aid on something."

DiSabatino said they were just setting the bar Thursday, not setting the taxes.

"Sometimes you have to spend a little to have a greater benefit and maybe the return on investment would more than pay for itself," DiSabatino said. "I think we all need to be open-minded."

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter @Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published July 31, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Manatee commissioners reject proposed property tax rate hike for public safety, keep millage rate unchanged."