About 914 residents of Brevard County’s barrier island, who live within the city of Melbourne, can expect this fall to pay more to support city services than they did this year.
But several members of the City Council are prepared to take a tougher look at grants to nonprofit and cultural organizations next year to help reduce the budget. They suggested these groups should get their funding from private donors instead of city taxpayers.
“We have to have roads and drainage and more police cars before we give away any money,” Councilman Paul Alfrey said.
In a series of 7-0 votes on final reading, the council approved City Manager Shannon Lewis’ $233 million spending plan for the year that started Oct. 1.
Brevard County Property Appraiser Dana Blickley’s staff has calculated the city’s 914 barrier island homes to be worth an average $422,514. Property owners are to support the budget at the current tax rate of $7.19 per $1,000 of taxable property value. For the owner with $50,000 in homestead exemptions, the tax rate will mean a city tax bill of $2,674. But while it’s the same rate, the city’s increase in property value from last year – $5.39 billion, up from $4.97 billion – means the same rate will bring $3 million more from taxpayers.
The added revenue, part of a total $36.8 million in property taxes, comes from new construction and increased valuations of existing properties since last year.
City Finance Director Jeff Towne said the $3 million in added revenue would go toward repaving more roads and improving stormwater drainage systems.
Council members split, meanwhile, on a proposal to give an estimated $60,000 as grants-in-aid to local charities. Karen Smith-Santiago, vice president of the Melbourne Community Orchestra, urged the council to continue granting money to their group.
“We’re asking for the same amount ($6,000) as the Melbourne Municipal Band,” she said.
“We count on this as income,” orchestra board member Nancy Anderson added.
But taxpayers count on their council to be frugal, Councilman Tim Thomas said. “We give $60,000 in grants every year,” he said. “This has got to stop.”
Mayor Kathy Meehan and Councilwoman Yvonne Minus objected to cutting out the grant recipients, such as the youth-oriented Police Athletic League. “We can’t do that,” Minus said. “We can’t take away from our children.”
Councilman Mark LaRusso, whose district includes the city’s part of the barrier island, suggested grantees be told that they would be cut off – but no sooner than five years.
LaRusso got support from Tim Thomas and Alfrey. But Vice Mayor Debbie Thomas opposed the move, as did Meehan, Minus and Councilwoman Julie Sanders.