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Politics
Property tax cut historic
Saying they feel people's pain, Commissioners drop the =
property tax rate. But many people at the meeting want it =
to go=20
lower still.
By KEVIN GRAHAM
Published September 22, 2006
TAMPA - Hillsborough commissioners voted unanimously for =
the=20
largest millage rate decrease in the county's history, a =
rollback of=20
more than half a mill, though many who packed the meeting =
Thursday=20
night left disappointed they didn't get twice that.
The millage drops .5816 mill, which saves someone living =
in a=20
$200,000 house with a homestead exemption about $100 in =
taxes, if=20
the assessment does not rise. One mill equals $1 of tax for =
every=20
$1,000 of assessed property values.
While some commissioners applauded County Administrator =
Pat Bean=20
and her staff for trimming the $3.8-billion county budget to =
allow=20
for the savings, it came in part at a cost to a week-old =
domestic=20
violence agency.
The Family Justice Center had asked commissioners =
Wednesday for=20
$500,000 to shore up its budget during the first half of =
2007, until=20
the program would be eligible to apply for grants. =
Commissioners=20
asked Sheriff David Gee if he could help, and Thursday he=20
obliged.
In a letter, Gee said his agency had saved enough money =
from a=20
change in worker's compensation insurance the commissioners =
approved=20
Wednesday to provide what the center sought. Instead =
commissioners=20
voted 4-3 to use the $500,000 to make the millage rate =
decrease=20
larger.
The result: an additional 71 cents per household saved =
per year=20
on $100,000 of taxable value, said county budget director =
Eric=20
Johnson.
"We'll get through this," Nikki Daniels, executive =
director of=20
the center, told a fellow employee following the vote as she =
held=20
back tears.
Daniels said her board hadn't decided what it would do =
without=20
the money. The agency, a one-stop center for victims of =
domestic=20
violence, only opened its doors Monday at 9309 N Florida =
Ave.
"It's a difficult decision to accept," Daniels said.
Commissioner Ken Hagan repeated comments he made during=20
Wednesday's commission meeting, telling Daniels she simply =
asked for=20
the money at the wrong time.
It was Hagan who first moved to approve Bean's initial =
proposal=20
to roll back the millage rate by .5674.
Commissioners had asked Bean to trim the county budget by =
as much=20
as $44.5-million, hoping to give property owners a full mill =
reduction.
"I understand the pain of our citizens," Hagan said.
Last year, Hagan said, he moved into a smaller home and =
paid an=20
extra $3,100 in property taxes.
"We've heard the people," said Commissioner Brian Blair. =
"They're=20
hurting right now, and they want significant budget =
cuts."
Blair wanted to cut the budget even more to get to a full =
mill=20
reduction, but got no backing.
Johnson, the budget director, said some people in =
Hillsborough=20
County have seen the assessed value of their property =
increase by as=20
much as 60 percent. It didn't matter how much commissioners =
rolled=20
back the millage, there was nothing they could do for them. =
They'd=20
still end up paying exponentially more in taxes.
The rate will drop .5816 of a mill, from 12.9 mills last =
year to=20
12.3184. So a house worth $200,000, with a homestead =
exemption of=20
$25,000, would be taxed $2,156, saving the homeowner about =
$102 over=20
last year, assuming the assessment remained the same.
Some of the roughly two dozen people who pleaded with=20
commissioners for a break said climbing property values were =
at the=20
root of the problem.
"I've seen a lot of progress, but I want you to know that =
not all=20
progress is forward," said Charles Slowey, of Valrico. =
"Small=20
businesses are disappearing, and they are the color of this=20
community."
Sherry Parsonss said the county's portion of taxes on her =
bill=20
went up 22 percent last year.
"It's too high," Parsons said. "I moved here for a =
position. If=20
young professionals can't stay here, and we are the future =
of Tampa,=20
who is the future?"
Hillsborough Property Appraiser Rob Turner said more =
people=20
should attend meetings like the one Thursday night to voice =
their=20
concerns.
"Values have definitely gone up in the last few years, =
and the=20
need arises even more for the taxing authority to make the =
downward=20
adjustments," Turner said.
Kevin Graham can be reached at 813 226-3433 or mailto:kgraham@sptimes.com.%=
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