Brooksville Fire Chief Dave Freda presented tentative increases in the fire assessment rates to the Brooksville City Council. If approved, the rates would become effective for the upcoming fiscal year. The assessments are in two tiers, one based on the value of improved properties (called Tier 1), and the other a flat rate per parcel (called Tier 2). Currently, the rates are $.80 per $1,000 of improved properties and $100 per parcel, with an average cost of $163, depending on the value of the property.
Because the rates for the Tier 1 properties are assessed on value, property owners may pay a different fee from their neighbors. The Tier 2 flat rate is for the fire department’s ability to meet the public’s needs at any time, called “readiness to serve” and represents an equal cost for every property. Readiness to serve means that regardless of whether there is an actual emergency, the fire department maintains equipment and must pay for personnel to be available to respond at all times.
What Freda proposed was a 30% increase in the Tier 2 rate and a $.10 increase to the Tier 1 rate. The goal is to eventually shift the majority of the Fire Department’s budget away from the ad valorem or General Fund, to primarily Assessment. That has taken some time, and due to missed revenues last year (from government properties that did not pay their taxes), Freda stated money set aside for vehicle replacement was needed to offset operating costs.
Vice Mayor Robert Battista felt the current fees were good numbers. Mayor Natalie Kahler explained the proposed rates can be adjusted down when the final budget is discussed. What the balanced budget rate would be, according to City Manager T. Jennene Norman-Vacha, is a Tier 1 rate of $.85 and Tier 2 rate of $125, or an average cost to property owners of $192. The mean rate, or the rate that most homeowners would pay, is approximately $144.
Norman-Vacha stated that there are 3,910 properties in the City of Brooksville, and nearly half (1,543) are unimproved lots. This is less than the number of properties assessed previously (4,014 parcels). According to Freda, the property assessor’s office advised that some properties were part of Southern Hills, where he had to do 32 ENIs (errors where properties were taxed that should not have been, such as roads, rights of way). The adjustments, Norman-Vacha stated, are to “clean up” the property rolls, but this does have a direct effect on the budget.
Overall, homeowners would still pay an average of under $200 for the fire department’s services. Battista suggested approval of the fees suggested by Norman-Vacha, stating that they could still be negotiated downward before making a final decision. Kahler advised she was not in favor of the Tier 2 increase to $100 last year, nor is she ready to approve the $130. However, she did accept the staff recommendation.
Council member William Kemmerer agreed that a discussion is needed to move the Fire Department budget from the general fund. The council members are concerned that property owners will flood the phone lines once the notice of the proposed increases are sent out. As Council member Frankie Burnett stated, the numbers allow for flexibility during budget workshops. Council member Betty Erhard agreed with Battista, stating, “We represent the people and we have to stay within a budget.”
The council is divided on this budget item, with Kemmerer, Burnett, and Kahler agreeing with Freda’s proposed $.90 and $130 figures. Erhard and Battista wanted the cap at $.85 and $125, but were in the minority. Input from the public is encouraged during the budget discussions. Rather than have a spokesperson, the more individuals who provide their perspective, the better the council can decide, stated Burnett. The first public meeting to discuss the budget will be 09/07/16 at 5:01 pm.