Walton County Taxpayer's Association Meeting

[Andy A]

Last night there was a meeting of the Walton County Taxpayer's Association which featured our County Administrator, Ronnie Bell, as the main speaker.

He spoke of many issues but the primary one was concerning the county budget and what is being done to make up the 7 million + shortfall. To begin with, Mr. Bell has been instructed by the BCC that there would be "no millage increase". Operating with this constraint I am sure was difficult but Mr. Bell did an excellent job of explaining how the county budget was to be presented to the BCC and the public. All the information given was extremely informative and very well presented. The budget shortfall will be met without an increase in our property taxes at this time.

Also discussed was the North West Florida Traffic Corridor Authority and the proposal made to them by the Private Group wanting to construct the bridge on 331. Everyone, including Commissioner Comander, seemed to agree that 60 days to review and comment on the proposal was not nearly long enough.

The meeting was well attended and many questions regarding our taxes were answered. One caveat I have is whether the WCSB can raise their millage level without concurrence of the BCC. It is my understanding they can do so. If this is so, you can have an increase in millage for the school system.

I do have a question or two regarding the NWFTCA. It is my understanding there are approximately 19 of these authorities throughout Florida. Do they all have as much power vested in them as private entities as this one does? If you look at what they can do without any local government involvement, it is mind boggling. They should be advisory in nature only IMO. Thoughts?

It was a very good meeting. If you are not presently a member of the Walton County Taxpayer's Association, I urge you to consider joining them. While I do not always agree with their position, they do a great service to Walton County. I joined last night and at a membership fee of $10 the cost is really minimal for all the oversight we get to see that our tax dollars are spent as wisely as possible.

 

[passin thru]

I'd imagine that, yes, the school board can set their own budget & their own millage rates independently of the County government. So can the fire district, etc., right?

When we pay our "county" property taxes, we're really paying several different taxing entities, though the total tax bill is collected by the County tax collector, right?

 

[NotDeadYet]

I do have a question or two regarding the NWFTCA. It is my understanding there are approximately 19 of these authorities throughout Florida. Do they all have as much power vested in them as private entities as this one does? If you look at what they can do without any local government involvement, it is mind boggling. They should be advisory in nature only IMO. Thoughts?

This might answer some of your questions. From the DeFuniak Herald/Beach Breeze.

OVERSIGHT COMMISSION IDENTIFIES CONCERNS WITH NFTCA

Mar 27th, 2009 | 0
By DOTTY NIST
While finding that the Northwest Florida Transportation Corridor Authority (NFTCA) is for the most part ?conducting its business in accordance with requirements of public meetings, open records, and ethics,? a state oversight commission recently identified a number of concerns in connection with the operation of the NFTCA. Created in 2005 by the Florida Legislature, the NFTCA is an agency of the state encompassing eight counties and consisting of eight governor-appointed voting members plus an ex-officio, non-voting member, the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) secretary. The NFTCA is tasked with improving mobility on the U.S. 98 corridor and related duties with regard to that corridor. The agency is authorized to construct roads and other transportation facilities, any of which may be tolled. Mandated with oversight of the NFTCA, along with the 14 other transportation authorities created under chapters 343 and 348 of Florida Statutes, on March 20, the Florida Transportation Commission (FTC) transmitted to Gov. Charlie Crist its ?Monitoring and Oversight, FY 2008 Report? on these transportation authorities. The report on the NFTCA that was part of this document noted that the agency had followed statutory requirements to meet at least quarterly at alternate locations, and to adopt a Corridor Master Plan and plan update within prescribed timelines. However, the report stated that the NFTCA did not comply with statutory requirements to present the July 1, 2008, master plan update ?to the governing bodies of the counties within the corridor and legislative delegation members.? Such a presentation, the FTC stated, had been required within 90 days of the adoption. With regard to ethics, the oversight commission observed that the NFTCA had in January 2008 adopted a resolution calling for all board members and employees to follow Florida Statutes requirements for ethical conduct, and that no ethical violations or investigations had been reported by the board or noted in NFTCA meeting minutes. The commission did, however, find that an incident occurring in 2008 did raise questions on the agency?s conduct. This was in connection with a legally-mandated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) public hearing on a proposed critical habitat designation for the Reticulated Flatwood Salamander, a species already federally listed as threatened. The USFWS had/has been part of a working group attempting to formulate an alignment solution to potential impacts on the survival of this salamander species associated with the Eglin Bypass. This is a new four-lane limited-access highway proposed by the NFTCA to extend from SR-87 to U.S. 331. A $3 million study is now underway in connection with this proposal. According to the report, ?NFTCA chose to politicize this issue at the public meeting held by the USFWS. A flyer, which carried the NFTCA logo, characterized the USFWS meeting as being a public meeting on the Bypass Road, citing that the proposed legislation by USFWS was an attempt to block construction of the road. ?It was also noted that a staff member of the NFTCA?s consulting firm, HDR, Inc., was at the USFWS meeting handing out these flyers,? the report continued. The FTC report observed that these actions by the NFTCA could be ?construed? as lobbying, and that the use of DOT funds for such activities could represent a statutory violation. It was recommended by the commission that the NFTCA ?conduct a thorough review of Florida Statutes, Sunshine Laws and Ethics Codes in light of these activities and refrain from either conducting or giving the appearance of conducting any political or lobbying activities.? The report also alleges a failure by the NFTCA to fully meet disclosure requirements established by the commission with regard to financial and accounting statements. In the agency?s defense, it is noted that the NFTCA lacks operational funding for the preparation of an independent audit or annual financial report. The commission therefore directs the NFTCA to designate a board officer to file annual financial report information through an on-line mechanism. The report states that the NFTCA board has not adopted a formal budget, and the commission recommends in the report that the agency meet Florida Statutes? requirements by doing so. The report also references public record and open meeting problems, observing one instance of a NFTCA meeting location having being changed with less than two days? notice, and with that meeting being subsequently cancelled with only hours? notice to the public on the agency?s Web site. ?NFTCA should refrain from last minute changes in venue except in cases of unusual circumstances and should develop a more effective means of notifying the public of changes in location or cancellation of meetings,? the commission directed. The agency was also directed, in the interest of countering ?public skepticism? about NFTCA objectives, to use ?technology to broadcast updated information, publish updated Master Plans on its website, and generally provide more information to the public at-large. ?The NFTCA could also post public comments received as an appendix to its Master Plan rather than requiring the public to request copies of public comments,? the commission suggested. The report further requests that the NFTCA review ?all pertinent governing statutes?to insure that it is operating not only within the law but also within the spirit of the law. ?Greater compliance with both the letter and spirit of the law and a more open public communication process can potentially diffuse some of the heated pubic discourse that has been occurring,? the report concludes. The FTC report is available for viewing in its entirety on the commision?s Web site, Florida Transportation Commission Home. Information on the NFTCA, including a meeting schedule, is available at NFTCA.

 

[North Lake]

I'd imagine that, yes, the school board can set their own budget & their own millage rates independently of the County government. So can the fire district, etc., right?

When we pay our "county" property taxes, we're really paying several different taxing entities, though the total tax bill is collected by the County tax collector, right?

This is correct.

 

[Chief Deputy TC]

I'd imagine that, yes, the school board can set their own budget & their own millage rates independently of the County government. So can the fire district, etc., right?

When we pay our "county" property taxes, we're really paying several different taxing entities, though the total tax bill is collected by the County tax collector, right?

2008 Millage Rates by Taxing Authority:

School- Required Local Effort
1.78200

County
3.35630

DeFuniak
4.50000

Freeport
3.93000

NW FL. Water Management
0.04500

NW Mosquito Control District
0.49120

SW Mosquito Control District
0.09980

School Discretionary
2.26500

Hospital Debt Fund
0.00810

SW Fire District 2
0.76000


Understanding yout tax bill:
http://www.waltontaxcollector.com/images/Understanding Your Tax Bill(2).pdf

For more information: Walton County Tax Collector or please give us a call at 892-8121 or 267-3001.

 

[Busta Hustle]

So last year the SW fire and the SW mosquito control got a slight millage (tax) increase. I wonder who will ask for a millage hike this year. Not sure but I think it will rhyme with Tool hoard.

 

[passin thru]

Is our school district wasting money, or spending it wisely? My wife & I don't have kids, but I'm all for increasing the quality of education here, increasing teacher salaries, reducing the apparent crowding in our schools here.

If this county, state & country spend tax $$ on anything, I hope we'll put our kids & schools near the very top of the list. It's our collective future at stake.

 

[Busta Hustle]

Is our school district wasting money, or spending it wisely?


Is it true that 50% of school employees are NOT teachers?

 

[wrobert]

Is our school district wasting money, or spending it wisely? My wife & I don't have kids, but I'm all for incresing the quality of education here, increasing teacher salaries, reducing the apparent crowding in our schools here.

If this county, state & country spend tax $$ on anything, I hope we'll put our kids & schools near the very top of the list. It's our collective future at stake.

Here here, let us double the school board millage and double teachers salaries. While we have no idea just what we need to pay a teacher more is always better than less, we are already within the class size amendment guidelines and have been for years so we can build some more new schools, and 6 out of 10 of our 10th graders are not reading at grade level, it is apparent we need more.

I will say Kudos to Mark, Darrel, and Sharon for pushing to get that school built in south walton. It has been needed for a very, very long time. Where is Vince Pasquerella when you need him, anyway?

 

[Bob]

Here here, let us double the school board millage and double teachers salaries. While we have no idea just what we need to pay a teacher more is always better than less, we are already within the class size amendment guidelines and have been for years so we can build some more new schools, and 6 out of 10 of our 10th graders are not reading at grade level, it is apparent we need more.

I will say Kudos to Mark, Darrel, and Sharon for pushing to get that school built in south walton. It has been needed for a very, very long time. Where is Vince Pasquerella when you need him, anyway?

Walton County starting salary for teachers is $34,700. Spoken like a true repub wanting vouchers for private education.