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Fulfilling budget requests would require Hernando commissioners to approve higher tax rates, fees

 
Published July 2, 2015

BROOKSVILLE — Standing at the microphone before the Hernando County Commission late last month were the passionate leaders of the First Hernando Youth Soccer Club and several of their young members.

Their plea was for the county to renew its partnership with the group, which they characterized at the largest sports league in the county, by finding $140,000 to resod two soccer fields at Anderson Snow Park.

The request drew a sharp response from commission Chairman Nick Nicholson when fellow commissioners suggested delaying the discussion. Sure, the group could come back, he said, but the county has no money.

With higher 2015-16 funding requests from the sheriff, the commission's departments and the supervisor of elections, the county is shy $5 million, he said.

"I just want you to know up front that we don't have it,'' Nicholson stressed. "It's not there.''

His comments were the first public admission that the county is looking at some difficult and potentially unpopular decisions later this summer.

Already, officials have made it clear that new revenue is needed for road projects, transit, fire service and ambulances. Commissioners already have approved a controversial 3-cent increase in the gas tax, effective Sept. 1, to provide dedicated public transit funding for existing and expanded service and for some major road improvements.

On July 14, the commission will conduct a public hearing on changes — mostly increases — in the amount residents and businesses pay in fire fees. Public notices sent to residents are stirring phone call and email outrage, as well as some confusion.

Currently, residents pay $171.44 on their tax bills for fire service, but fire officials have said the fee is not enough to pay cover costs. With reserves spent down to pay the bills since Hernando Fire Rescue and Spring Hill Fire Rescue merged two years ago, the county sought a consultant to find a fair way to distribute the cost of fire service, the cost of which is expected to increase by about $3 million next year.

The higher costs come from rising salaries as well as fleet needs and plans for a new firehouse, officials said.

The consultant studied the actual cost of fighting fires in different conditions and recommended a new fee schedule that would increase the fee to $213.37 if all sizes of homes were treated the same. The notice sent to homes noted that the fee could be as high as $243.85 if the county decides to charge more for larger homes and less for smaller ones.

Commissioners will choose from a variety of scenarios, but already residents are not happy.

Calling the fee hike "ridiculous," Spring Hill resident Anne Kraus-Keenan wrote, "the County Administrator and the Fire Chief obviously are not competent to manage the Fire District. The residents of Spring Hill went through considerable effort to merge the Spring Hill Fire District with Hernando County to render the savings of the merged districts, and a mere couple years later instead of receiving the benefits our pockets are being picked.''

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"This increased tax exceeds the cost of living that most of the citizens of Hernando County must live with,'' wrote Robert and Natalie Pensa of Ridge Manor. "Government cannot and must not spend more than its citizens can afford.''

Public safety officials are also asking for a small increase in the property tax rate to pay for emergency medical services. That increase would amount to $11.70 more in property tax for the owner of a home appraised at $100,000.

The property tax rate would be even higher if the County Commission decides to fund all of the extra costs requested by county departments, the sheriff and the other constitutional officers. The sheriff wants an additional $1.6 million, and the County Commission departments want $1.8 million more, while the supervisor of elections wants another $553,000.

With preliminary taxable values provided to the county and other taxing authorities last week, the value of property in Hernando County rose 3.47 percent to approximately $7.4 billion. With the tax rate unchanged, that would raise another $1.6 million in revenue. To raise enough revenue for all of the requested spending increases would require a property tax increase of three-quarters of a mill, which would add another $75 to the tax bill of the owner of a home appraised at $100,000.

Commissioners will receive the proposed budget — including all of the wish lists — on July 15, as required by Florida Statutes. They will make decisions on what to keep and what to cut when they are asked to establish a tax rate on July 28. Public hearings on the budget are set for September.

Contact Barbara Behrendt at bbehrendt@tampabay.com or (352) 848-1434.