SEBASTIAN — At its Sept. 24 final public hearing, the Sebastian City Council voted to slightly increase property taxes, raising the FY 2014-2015 millage rate from last year’s 3.7166 to 3.8556, as recommended by the Citizens Budget Review Advisory Board.
Although the initial staff-proposed budget was balanced and held the millage level, the Board felt strongly, based on public and Council input, that four items not included in the original budget proposal were vital enough to justify the $322,000 increase: the Lagoon – $100,000; All Aboard Florida – $50,000; the COPS grant match – $15,000; and street repaving -$157,000.
The 3.8556 rate will add $265,038 above the rolled-back rate (the rate required to generate the same amount as last year), and will require an additional $9.84 for a $100,000 homestead property, $185.83 in 2014 vs. $195.67 in 2015.
As approved by Council, 3-2, the 2015 General Fund budget should be $10,865,269.
The 3-2 votes mirrored that of the first public hearing, with both sides remaining adamant and vocal.
The dissenting votes came from the two incumbents seeking re-election in November – Vice-Mayor Jim Hill and Council member Jerome Adams.
Hill repeated his contention that the additions were “no way to run a government” calling them tax-and-spend and saying he was embarrassed by them.
Adams expressed “strong displeasure” at the increase, and said the original budget was balanced and had been recommended by the City Manager.
Hill argued that the Board’s proposal of $157,000 would actually decrease the amount available for the much- needed city street improvements, insisting that the original $200,000 designated for streets seems to have “disappeared.”
After some intense give-and-take with City Manager Joe Griffin and Administrative Services Director Ken Killgore, and a good bit of confusion on terminology and various funding sources, it was determined that, as the Budget Review Board intended, the bottom line amount available for street improvements will indeed increase.
Budget chair Ed Herlihy, also a Council candidate, explained that the additional $157,000 requested for streets would come from the property tax increase and money saved from changing insurance companies, and would be in addition to the budgeted $200,000 (from the Discretionary Sales Tax fund).
The aye votes were cast by Council members Andrea Coy and Richard Gillmor and Mayor Bob McPartlan, all of whom believe that the Council has a responsibility to walk the talk in doing what it can to protect the lagoon, and in standing up to All Aboard Florida in as strong a position as possible.
Gillmor said Sebastian citizens care about their city and the lagoon, and should have no problem paying what amounts to about an additional 10 cents a week.
McPartlan noted that the biggest attendance at Council meetings in the past year has been when All Aboard Florida or the Lagoon has been on the agenda.