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Plea — Unemployed DeBary homeowner Jackie Keys pleads with the County Council to lower taxes.
By Al Everson
posted Sep 7, 2009 - 11:59:43am
An overflow crowd awaited the Volusia County Council Sept. 3, as it convened the first of two public hearings on the county government’s 2009-10 budget and property-tax rates.
With a split vote preceded by impassioned rhetoric on both sides, the council tentatively approved higher property-tax rates.
The County Council’s 4-3 vote, which is just one step away from becoming final, came amid pleas for compassion toward the disabled and veterans, balanced by calls for empathy for economically depressed taxpayers.
“You’re having to deal with a finite amount of dollars,” said Doug Hall, a blind Daytona Beach resident who supported the budget. “If you cut services in Votran, that is a cut in people.”
Critics spoke of hardship in paying their current household expenses.
“I live on a fixed income, because somebody in Washington said there will be no cost-of-living increase,” said David Wilson, of Astor. He said the taxes on his home may go up by $100 a month at the new rate. “I can’t afford it. I’m on a fixed income. I’m 78 years old. I’m looking for work.”
County Manager James Dinneen defended his request for a 21-percent increase in the tax rate for the general fund. The rate is supposed to raise about $158 million for essential services.
“We have stayed substantially flat,” said Dinneen, referring to property-tax revenues since the 2006-07 fiscal year.
Indeed, Dinneen’s proposed levy of 5.45 mills is the rollback rate, meaning it is supposed to generate property-tax revenues for the general fund equal to those generated in the year now ending.
Because of the decline in values, the rollback is higher, and the higher rate means higher tax bills for many homeowners, who appealed to the County Council to lessen their burden.
“Reduce your budget and go to last year’s millage rate,” said Margie Patchett, executive director of Volusia Tax Reform.
The Port Orange resident said more people are now leaving Florida than are coming into the Sunshine State. Patchett cited a Time magazine article that cites “rising taxes, political ineptitude” as reasons for the exodus.
“Small businesses are being devastated,” she said.
“I live on a fixed income. My electricity bill is going up. I have had to go through my budget and find ways to cut,” Nancy Cox told the council. “What am I to do? ... I have only so much money, and it only goes so far.”
A DeBary homeowner, Jackie Keys, urged the council to “lower the millage.”
“I stand before you unemployed,” Keys said. “I saved for a rainy day, but this isn’t cutting it. My power bill is going up. ... Don’t kick me when I’m down. This is not the time to raise taxes.”
Others in the Council Chambers warned cuts could make things worse for certain segments of the citizenry. Charles Randall, of the Halifax Council of the Blind, urged the council not to cut Votran bus service.
“Even if you’re not going to use it today, somebody you love is going to need it,” Randall said.
Helen Sondheim, of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, said the county’s Veterans Services may suffer if the budget is trimmed. Such funding reductions, she said, would hurt veterans returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“We cannot, cannot cut this,” Sondheim said. “Are you going to cut out the fire, the police? ... These veterans are my heart. ... We need to be there for them. They were there for us.”
After almost three hours of comments from the public and more than an hour of debate among themselves, the council moved the $617.7 million budget and its recommended millages closer to final adoption.
“I won’t do a one-time cut, because it’s going to come back to hurt us next year,” Council Member Pat Northey said. “We’ve cut. We’ve taken $96 million out of this year’s budget over the past three years. ... I’m OK where we’re at.”
After what he had heard from the audience, Council Member Jack Hayman called for more austerity.
“We’re out of touch with the plight of the citizens,” Hayman said. “The economic norms for the private sector are different from what they are in the public sector, and we’ve heard that tonight. We’re not taking into account your ability to pay for the levels of service we’re planning to provide.”
Hayman was supported by Council Members Andy Kelly and Carl Persis. They were outvoted by County Chair Frank Bruno, Vice Chair Joie Alexander and Council Members Northey and Josh Wagner.
The second and final public hearing on the county’s budget and tax rates is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, in the Thomas C. Kelly County Administration Center, 123 W. Indiana Ave. in DeLand.
The county’s fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30.
Reader Comments
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will sink but I guess that will be okay with them.I must say
It is really not fine with me.The hand out can come later.We
need to save the ship for now! Please lets look at the big
picture. The democrats and Republicans are the same they are trying to distract and divide us. Do not let them win. We can take our country back! Please Look at the fact!
THE COUNTY:
“We have stayed substantially flat,” said Dinneen, referring to property-tax revenues since the 2006-07 fiscal year.
"Indeed, Dinneen’s proposed levy of 5.45 mills is the rollback rate, meaning it is supposed to generate property-tax revenues for the general fund equal to those generated in the year now ending."
THE PEOPLE:
Taxes INCREASE
Fees INCREASE
Budgets DECREASE
THE DIFFERENCE: The County says it has stayed flat in spending and want a flat budget. The people have cut costs as well, however their costs are being involuntarily increased. Conserve electricity by 30%? Your bill jumps 40%. Conserve water? West Volusia wants to multiply your bill by a factor of SEVEN. House dropped 40% in value? You may still pay 10-40% more than last year.
It isn't that these public officials don't understand this. It's that they don't CARE to understand this because there is no way to stop them. If they didn't listen to hundreds of us at the meeting, they won't listen any other time. Just ask Deltona's mayor, he thinks the cries for taxing being too high are "nothing but ****".
I am absolutely certain that, given one day in a meeting room, the folks who showed up to protest the county budget could easily show the politicians EXACTLY where the fat is and where to cut it. It is simply a matter of making the same kind of choices we make in our homes and our businesses every day. We have no choice - we have to know when to say "no".
Next election, remember that THESE are the politicians who, like the neighborhood tramp with a bad reputation, can't say "No":
Frank Bruno
Joie Alexander
Pat Northey
Josh Wagner
Also be sure to remember that at least these three men had the courage to say "no":
Jack Hayman
Andy Kelly
Carl Persis
If the politicians refuse to remain within the proper role of government, we the voters must exercise the proper role of the people. Remember - and vote. Some level of fear of the people on the part of the politicians is a good thing - a very good thing.
it's hard all around. those hard times are DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE to the awful governance in this county, state and nation over the past ten years... and the GOP has been in charge at almost every level the past decade... only one group to blame here.
and, finally, liftguy.. why not just say it? the free lunch bunch you complain about? they're brown people, and you hate the idea that some brown person is getting your "hard earned money." used to be a time around here when people had at least the honor and dignity to say what they mean, no matter what kind of ******* nonsense that might result in.
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