From the Department of OMB: (another questionable bureaucracy although Steve Carr, Finance Director, says it is needed). It's one of those departments like Conservation. Conservation is costing almost $1.5 million and is "necessary" to show people how to turn off a light bulb.
9-06: The tentative ad valorem millage rate and proposed budget will be adopted.
9-26: The final ad valorem millage rate and budget will be adopted (not sure about this date as given)
Based on the comments from the Commission, staff will make changes to the proposed ordinance (it's only a resolution at the moment) and bring it back to the Commission at a future workshop.
Fire Services Assessment Development Services
Analysis of Fire services to determine amount that should be paid by special assessments
The City approved the initial fire assessment resolution on August 23, 2011. Notices have been mailed to all property owners.
9-22: final hearing to adopt the fire assessment resolution and fire assessment roll
I asked Scott Maxwell last night why notices have been mailed before the Commission finalizes the vote? He informed me that the law required that the public be noticed so many days in advance of setting the millage. Did you get yours in the mail? My neighbor got his and was he ticked off.
Street Lights Assessment Development Services
Analysis of Street Lights services to determine amount that should be paid by special assessments. (Don't do us any favors here)
On August 16, 2011, the City approved a contract with General Services Group for the Development of a street lights assessment. Staff and GSG will work to identify properties that benefit from street lights and develop an equitable allocation of the street lights costs to the benefiting properties.
There is nothing equitable about special assessments especially for street lights that have been installed for 500 years...slight exaggeration but you get my drift. What will it be next? You guessed it. Everything they possibly can get away with to grab your cash.
Commission, you must say NO to assessments. In fact, anyone who dreamed this stuff up needs to have his job assessed whether it be some department head brown nosing the boss to screw the property owners or...no exceptions.
Street lights benefit everyone in a city not just the property owner who lives near a street light. If I walk down a street with lights or drive down that street I benefit from the lights, the sidewalks and all the other things that a city is suppose to provide. Why is it fair to assess the property owner for lights that benefit all of us? At what point does the commission tell the City Manager to cut it out?
ReplyDeleteWe keep reading and hearing that they are going to "asses" us for lighting (along with other items) but I have not heard anything about the technology and energy saving potential of newer technology that could potentially lower the cities use of electricty... Our system is antiquated beyond repair in some cases and if this city decides that we most pay above and beyond our taxing millage to provide it, then it needs to use those funds responsibly and INVEST into new systems and not just keep repairing that which is out dated by "500 years"
ReplyDeleteHere is an article of many but it gives the reader some very basics on what is happening in technology for street lighting:
http://www.gizmag.com/philips-energy-efficient-street-lighting-echelon-technology/9139/
This is a case for a class action lawsuit if I ever saw one. What the city is essentially saying is that only those properties directly adjacent to the street light are benefiting. But......what about the motorist who just happens to be on that street. Are they an indirect benefactor of the lumen's? I would say that they are and a great case can be made that if the city is going to make a special assessment, then everyone in the city should pay. This will be fun to follow as I would have an attorney prepared to file a class action suit against the city for inappropriate taxation if this assessment is passed.
ReplyDeleteYou may wish to get an opinion from John Rinaldi (sp?). I would be surprised if he said that a class action suit was not imminent.
Anon,I would take things a step further-ANYONE DRIVING THRU LAKE WORTH BENEFITS FROM OUR STREETLIGHTS AND CAN BE ASSESSED!!!Hell, we can get money from MILLIONS of people who have driven thru our city from ALL OVER THE DAMNED COUNTRY !!!!From all over the WORLD!!!What about those visitors from our sister cities?!? Stanton is on to a friggin GOLD MINE, folks!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI got my assesments notices for my 4 houses. I also got my 3 rental lisences. They sent everything in individual envelopes to my home address. Why waste so much paper and postage when you could send me one envelope with everything. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteBy Florida statute, if the assessment is going on the property tax bill, the assessment roll must be to the Tax Collector no later than 9/15. If the meeting is after 9/15, how are the certifying an assessment roll
ReplyDelete