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Willdan Feasibility Study on Fire Services
From the City Manager:
The current Inter-local Agreement requires the City to opt into the Fire/Rescue MSTU and to pay supplemental funding to the County in the amount of $700,000 for FY 2010 and FY 2011, $900,000 for FY 2012 and FY 2013, and $1,300,000 each fiscal year thereafter. For Fiscal Year 2011-2012, and future years, the City Administration has proposed the establishment of a Special Assessment for Fire Services irrespective of whether the County is providing this service or whether the City reconstructs a Fire Department. The actual assessment would depend on the total costs included in the assessment such as fire fighter pension costs.
Because the City has so many properties that pay little or no property taxes (due to the homestead exemption and current low value of the homes and commercial property) this assessment will allow the City to more fairly and equitably recover the cost for providing this critical public safety service.
The decision to terminate the Inter-local Agreement with Palm Beach County for Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services and to reconstitute the Lake Worth Fire Department is dependent on Palm Beach County's willingness to modify the supplemental fire payment and allow the City to pay for fire protection provided by the County with the proceeds of a Fire Special Assessment. As indicated, so far, the County Commissioner's formal position is that it is unwilling to modify the agreement.
Willdan Homeland Solutions will present this report to the City Commission on July 21, 2011 at 6:00 in the Lake Worth City Hall.
8 comments:
So is this tax increase going to be assessed on only those who now pay little or nothing due to tax exemptions? I ALREADY Pay high enough taxes in this city. Is this ALSO going to go to those of us ALREADY shouldering more than our fair share of taxes in this city?Before my family and I pay ONE MORE DAMN CENT of taxes in Lake Worth-I want to see HUGE administrative personnel AND salary cuts!ALSO this budget has so much money hidden away in it that only the EMPLOYEES know about , it is RIDICULOUS!An auditor for 300,000? NO!!!NO MS. STANTON!! You FIRED the last auditor when he got to close to the truth. (And he did the job for 50,000)!Are you going to pick some buffoon that you can micromanage and split the difference with him/her? ABSOLUTELY NO MORE TAXES on Lake Worth citizens that are ALREADY hanging on by their fingernails. SHAME ON YOU,MS STANTON!!!
Careful Katie, you are slamming the BCME. That won't be tolerated on this blog.
I think you hit the nail on the head though. Why is the BCME even putting that figure in the budget? It should be the commission that states what THEY are looking for in an internal auditor, not the BCME. Complete with what THEY are willing to pay.
To answer you other concern... yes we, the ones who now pay most of the taxes, will get an additional "user fee" for fire service. Isn't it insane?
It'll be interesting to see how the new make-up of the commission handles so much with so little.
Anon Y Moose
you're both wrong. if we assess for fire, your taxes will go down and those who are not paying enough (based on property values) will be assessed the same amount for fire services that you will be assessed.
there are a few moving parts to this item. we need to see the assessment study that is supposed to be completed soon.
The ignorance and small-mindedness on this blog is jaw-dropping. Why don't you all get the facts? Opinion is not fact.
You are absolutely correct--opinion is NOT fact. I do not happen to agree with you on the fire assessment...not one little bit.
Property values are down. Is that my fault?
If you are going to assess, base it on the square footage--that would be EQUITABLE. Of course, that is my opinion.
Thanks for a solution that makes sense and is fair. We could then bring back our own department.
Joey
afraid you might actually have to pay for something in the City Lynn????????????
Look, wise guy--It was not I that drove down property values. I live within the law here. Do you take your double homestead exemption? Do you want to give it up?
Read my latest blog on the issue where I suggest that we pay per square foot.
This is not about me but the overall fairness of the situation.
The above two posts were deleted because I want someone to debate the issue, not call me insane. I want someone to debate the issue, not put everything on a personal level.
If you want to call me names, don't do it here. Call me up, identify yourself, and lets discuss.
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