BCC set millage rate at Last years rate

[Busta Hustle]

but if we are going to look at their budgets, let's look with an open mind and get all the facts first.

Absolutely agree with you. And most of all getting all the facts and basing their budget on cost and needs and not starting with the $$$ amount of advalorem tax revenue. I think it is safe to say that cost and needs should not have gone up 500%.+++

 

[WCTA]

When it comes to the SWFD, the population increase is not the relevant figure. More relevant would be the increase in the number of dwelling units, the summer occupancy figures, the number of calls they answer annually, the increase in traffic crashes, commercial fire alarm calls, the addition of beach flags and life guards, etc. Figures that reflect the actual increase in level of required services are the figures that should be looked at. Because SoWal is a beach community with a large transient population, the percentage increase of permanent population does not adequately reflect the increased demand for SWFD services.
And isn't that population figure increase countywide? If so, that makes it even more meaningless when considering SWFD's budget needs.
I am in no way suggesting we should give SWFD or any other taxing entity a pass, but if we are going to look at their budgets, let's look with an open mind and get all the facts first.

First the figures shown are not budget figures, they are property tax revenues. The SWFD has other sources of revenue such as a 600,000+ annual payment from the BCC for providing Emergency services, revenues from individuals billed for medical transport and they recovery of cost of medical services and supplies, grants and of course the life guard services are a contract service where the funding is provided by the TDC. They have also charged impact fees for new construction.

During the time span covered by the growth in property tax revenues they added new fire stations and equipment and they improved the compensation and benefits for their employee's.

The WCTA has never advocated a reduction in the quality of services provided, but we have advocated that the rates of revenue growth were not sustainable and that would lead to a "major adjustment" when the next bust cycle occurred.

 

[scooterbug44]

Since part of the past expenditures were for equipment, infrastructure etc. shouldn't we able to reduce future budgets w/o too much trouble?