Orlando Sentinel
Fire-tax bill may become whopper
By April Hunt | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted June 11, 2003
KISSIMMEE -- Homeowners in unincorporated Osceola would face steeper bills for fire protection and emergency medical services -- some twice as much or more -- under a plan county commissioners gave preliminary approval to this week.
The tab would be $250 for the owner of a home valued at $125,000 with the $25,000 homestead exemption, double the current fire protection-EMS bill of $125.
Citing a need to dramatically beef up both services, commissioners agreed Monday to add a special property tax of $2.50 per $1,000 of taxable value to pay for both services. Residents now pay a flat $93.62 fee for fire service and 31 cents per $1,000 of taxable property value for EMS coverage.
People who own higher-end homes would be socked the hardest. For example, a person with a home valued at $175,000 who qualifies for the homestead exemption would pay $375 under the proposal -- a 168 percent increase. The way things work out, businesses would see mostly small increases -- about 3 to 4 percent -- in their overall bill, now based on square footage.
"I just don't know that there is anything else we can do," Commissioner Ken Smith said. "We're going to have to have the intestinal fortitude to say, 'Hey, guess what. We may not get re-elected, but we have to do something.' "
Commissioners pledged to hold the line on the fire-EMS tax at $2.50 for five years.
The proposed change is just one of many tough decisions being considered during shaping of the 2003-04 budget, which is to be unveiled June 30. The new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.
With money tight and requests up for various services, commissioners are bracing for inevitable unpopular choices either to cut services or to boost taxes and fees.
For instance, the switch to funding fire and EMS with a dedicated property tax rate would free up $2.6 million from the general fund, money needed to cover what the current system doesn't pay for. A staff proposal calls for using that $2.6 million to help make up a $160 million shortfall for capital projects during the next five years, while commissioners want the money cut from the general-fund budget rather than spent on other uses.
Even if the $2.6 million is sliced from the general-fund budget, which covers the cost of most basic services, most residents would pay more in overall taxes. Commissioners insist they do not want to raise the general tax rate and refuse to call the proposed special tax a tax increase, though eliminating money from the general fund that went toward fire-EMS costs in the general fund would not be a wash for residents.
A reduction in the general county tax rate of only about 25 cents from $5.90 per $1,000 of taxable property value would apply to residents in the cities and well as the unincorporated county.
Last year, in the face of minor public protest, commissioners got out their knives when the initial budget proposal called for a $107 flat fire fee plus 70 cents per $1,000 of taxable value for emergency services. However, since reducing those rates, commissioners have responded to complaints about the Fire Department by promising to make improvements.
The new tax would generate $25 million to pay for improvements as well as to convert two all-volunteer stations each year into stations run by paid firefighters. Commissioners also plan to build four new fire stations in the next five years to accommodate developments such as Harmony, east of St. Cloud, and the proposed county convention center.
A study on whether the county is on the right track will not be completed until July or August, after the budget process is well under way.
To do the same work under the current system would require the fire fee to be increased to about $149.07 and the EMS tax rate to 83 cents per $1,000 of taxable property value on a home with a taxable value of $100,000 and a homestead exemption. That amount would have to be increased annually.
Only Commissioner Atlee Mercer, who was not on the commission last year, voiced opposition to the idea of going to a special property tax.
April Hunt can be reached at 407-931-5940 or [email protected]
Fire-tax bill may become whopper
By April Hunt | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted June 11, 2003
KISSIMMEE -- Homeowners in unincorporated Osceola would face steeper bills for fire protection and emergency medical services -- some twice as much or more -- under a plan county commissioners gave preliminary approval to this week.
The tab would be $250 for the owner of a home valued at $125,000 with the $25,000 homestead exemption, double the current fire protection-EMS bill of $125.
Citing a need to dramatically beef up both services, commissioners agreed Monday to add a special property tax of $2.50 per $1,000 of taxable value to pay for both services. Residents now pay a flat $93.62 fee for fire service and 31 cents per $1,000 of taxable property value for EMS coverage.
People who own higher-end homes would be socked the hardest. For example, a person with a home valued at $175,000 who qualifies for the homestead exemption would pay $375 under the proposal -- a 168 percent increase. The way things work out, businesses would see mostly small increases -- about 3 to 4 percent -- in their overall bill, now based on square footage.
"I just don't know that there is anything else we can do," Commissioner Ken Smith said. "We're going to have to have the intestinal fortitude to say, 'Hey, guess what. We may not get re-elected, but we have to do something.' "
Commissioners pledged to hold the line on the fire-EMS tax at $2.50 for five years.
The proposed change is just one of many tough decisions being considered during shaping of the 2003-04 budget, which is to be unveiled June 30. The new fiscal year starts Oct. 1.
With money tight and requests up for various services, commissioners are bracing for inevitable unpopular choices either to cut services or to boost taxes and fees.
For instance, the switch to funding fire and EMS with a dedicated property tax rate would free up $2.6 million from the general fund, money needed to cover what the current system doesn't pay for. A staff proposal calls for using that $2.6 million to help make up a $160 million shortfall for capital projects during the next five years, while commissioners want the money cut from the general-fund budget rather than spent on other uses.
Even if the $2.6 million is sliced from the general-fund budget, which covers the cost of most basic services, most residents would pay more in overall taxes. Commissioners insist they do not want to raise the general tax rate and refuse to call the proposed special tax a tax increase, though eliminating money from the general fund that went toward fire-EMS costs in the general fund would not be a wash for residents.
A reduction in the general county tax rate of only about 25 cents from $5.90 per $1,000 of taxable property value would apply to residents in the cities and well as the unincorporated county.
Last year, in the face of minor public protest, commissioners got out their knives when the initial budget proposal called for a $107 flat fire fee plus 70 cents per $1,000 of taxable value for emergency services. However, since reducing those rates, commissioners have responded to complaints about the Fire Department by promising to make improvements.
The new tax would generate $25 million to pay for improvements as well as to convert two all-volunteer stations each year into stations run by paid firefighters. Commissioners also plan to build four new fire stations in the next five years to accommodate developments such as Harmony, east of St. Cloud, and the proposed county convention center.
A study on whether the county is on the right track will not be completed until July or August, after the budget process is well under way.
To do the same work under the current system would require the fire fee to be increased to about $149.07 and the EMS tax rate to 83 cents per $1,000 of taxable property value on a home with a taxable value of $100,000 and a homestead exemption. That amount would have to be increased annually.
Only Commissioner Atlee Mercer, who was not on the commission last year, voiced opposition to the idea of going to a special property tax.
April Hunt can be reached at 407-931-5940 or [email protected]
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