Welch: Property tax increase still an option

Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch said cuts to balance next year's county budget may justify a property tax rate increase, though other commissioners have said they're reluctant to do it.

"At this point, we are preparing a proposed budget that does not include a millage increase," chief assistant county administrator Mark Woodard said this afternoon.

But Welch, noting Commissioner Calvin Harris also has maintained that all options are open for discussion, says the depth of reductions could be too much with a $7.8 million gap remaining. A rate increase to generate $10 million or so more might not require more than a majority vote under Florida law, though it likely would spark some public resistance.

"I think I certainly could make the argument to concerned citizens. Do you want to remove the safety net for our hospitals .. do you want to remove the funding for homeless services?" Welch said today.

It may also solve a dispute with Sheriff Jim Coats, who said this week that the county's attempts to close the gap by cutting his department's spending is unjustified. He has offered a 16 percent cut, but does not want to have to cut further.

-- David DeCamp, Times staff writer

Comments

[BLUE TRUE]

Make county employees drive their own cars when not on the clock, and sell the two thirds of the vehicles no longer needed. Stop busting people for marijuana possession. That should save around sixteen percent, right there.

[Urban Legend]

Raise taxes during the worst economy in Florida in half a century?

How about cutting government waste.

Like Ken Welch's salary.

[VOTE OUT THE FATCATS]

YOU RAISE OUR TAXES & WE'LL VOTE YOU OUT OF OFFICE.

PLAIN & SIMPLE, THIS IS THE FLORIDA WAY.

[VOTE OUT THE FATCATS]

Laughing out loud, are these the police and sheriff's departments that have so much time to write hundreds of seat belt tickets. Maybe we have too many officers as it is. Try cutting their budget even deeper?

[I ain't afraid of taxes...]

If you don't want to pay taxes, go live on a desert island somewhere. The rest of us want services like police, fire, health departments, roads, schools and all the other things civilization brings -- and are funded by TAXES.

Morons

[awhitewolf]

...the taxing rate should have declined in the previous several years of high double digit increases of property appraisals , but the elected officials did not balance the taxing system and merely collected a substantial windfall (one has to wonder where all that money is now). The onus now is upon the elected officials to balance the books. The most recent appraisals by the property appraisers office reflect less than half of the decline in REAL property values. The second shoe has to drop in this coming year. The people who are not afraid of taxes are the ones who who have been under the three percent cap for a number of years...they pay several hundred dollars in taxes, while others with the same house and only recently under the cap pay several thousand dollars in taxes. There is no fairness in the property tax system and the vast majority of elected officials do not have the wisdom or the guts to make it a fair system. Could you imagine the outcry from those who pay deeply discounted property taxes if they had to pay their fair share...???

[james]

jim coats using fear, threats and implication to secure his bloated budget - no... couldn't possible be true!

not him, he's to honorable!!!

(what a sleaze).

[Eric]

Our economy in Florida is stuck in quicksand. The current property tax structure (and insurance crisis) is one of the largest issues as to why we can not sustain a healthy "next generation" economy. It is very unfairly and disproportionately assessed to second home owners and businesses. Well, guess what?! We have made it so unjust that businesses struggle to justify coming to Florida and bringing jobs. How are we supposed to pick our economy up when politicians seem to want to hold us down?

And the current politicians want to solve budget issues by INCREASING THESE TAXES??! Wow. It is depressing to me to know that our leaders are so clueless.

[If you don't know you butta axe somebody]

Y'all back up out of Biggies face! Brothaman knows what's best for you. Just ask all his family and friends taking the free ride on our dime. Talk 'bout a Friends and family calling circle... sheeeeeeit... somone betta call a bank.

[If not taxation, then how?]

OK -- so nobody wants to pay taxes. I get that.

But we all want services like fire departments, police departments, health departments, schools, roads, street-lights, and all the other things that taxes pay for.

So, if you're not willing to raise that money through property taxes, and you're not willing to pass a state and/or local income tax, and you don't want to raise sales taxes, and you don't want to tax services, and you don't want to close the loopholes, and you don't want to expand "sin industry" like gambling... well then, how the **** do you fund the services government is supposed to support?

It's not rocket science folks.

[Blazin]

Taxation isn’t the problem, although politicians and politicos have done a masterful job at manipulating the social conscience into believing so. As intelligent adult Americans who desire the best in military, education, infrastructure, water and food quality, law enforcement, and public recreation et al – we know that this endeavor requires the payment of taxes.

The problem is not the “act” of paying taxes; the problem is what our elected officials “do” with our tax dollars.

Through well-researched and repetitively applied political marketing tactics, politicians and politicos have succeeded in redirecting accountability and taxpayer angst toward a compulsory function – and away from the questionable actions of those who are responsible for the proper stewardship of that function.

As taxpayers, we need to ignore the perception and focus on reality. Do not get angry and take it out on the “act” of paying taxes; get angry and take it out (in the voting both) on those who misappropriate our tax dollars.

That said; with respect to Pinellas, taxes do not need to be raised; waste, redundancy, and irresponsible spending needs to be cut – and the politically motivated fear mongering of threats to services and jobs – needs to stop.

But what do I know; “Mongo only pawn in game of life.”

[If not taxation, then how?]

And part of the "marketing tactic" is also the erroneous message that all government entities are wasteful.

That is simply not true. Look at medicare / medicaid. They operate at a 4% overhead. Average insurance company? 30% overhead (and you wonder why so many people are screaming for a public option?!?)

But then, what do I know, I just work, live, and pay taxes here.

[awhitewolf]

...Let us consider medicare: double and triple billings, ficticious billings, muliple testings to churn bills and medicaid: almost unlimited health care for drunks and crackheads who will not work, benefits for "baby machines" and of course free dope paid for by the government, a welfare system for the drug manufacturers...not to mention fruad and inside deals.

A proportionatly fair taxation system and a reasonably realistic expendeture system...and yes this is not rocket science...

[all options open]

Notice how Welch ducks for cover with, "Calvin said it, too."

Not quite sure if this is a master politician at work or sometimes a master coward. Probably both.

[It's the assessed values, stupid]

When assessed values are decreasing, as they are now, a millage increase doesn't automatically translate to a property tax increase.

The same held true during the run up in assessed values, when politicans bragged about decreasing millage rates, although they collected more in property taxes.

[Ted C]

How about we vote out Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch and any clown that dares to raise our property taxes?

THEY SHOULD BE LOWERING OUR PROPERTY TAXES & STOP SPENDING LIKE DRUNKEN SAILORS.

That is why we need to lobby our state legislature to put caps on property taxes and local government spending.

Our legislature is looking to do just that next year just in time for a state-wide vote in 2010. Get involved people.

[Economics 101]

Only a fool would raise taxes during a recession.

[Harsh Reality]

The School Board is considering the same thing. You either pay for the services or you don't whine when you don't have cops on the street. and teachers in the classroom, or firefighters to save your house. That $250 working out for ya?

[...]

We don't need new taxes, we need new leadership.

[STEVE SPRAT]

If The County was to get rid of 100 exempt employees they would save 10 MILLION DOLLARS. They have 500 thanks to SPRAT, the smith land deal?

[STEVE SPRAT]

Where is the money that has already been collected? Didn't Woodard forget to include the penny for Pinellas a couple of years ago in the budget? Maybe he should go work for his wife in Tampa Pam the Mayor?

[When is it enough?]

Someone needs to ask the question of when they have enough of our money. Is it when we are taxed at a 100% rate? Does throwing more money at every problem solve it? Europe has basically tried that and is now trying ot move rapidly the other direction.

Look at education. There is no correlation between spending and student achievement. It has far more to do with parental involvement and discipline in the classroom.

We need elected officials who can do more than throw money at every problem but instead come up with real solutions!

[Citizen]

The Sheriff has cut hundreds of deputies and staff. No more cuts!!!

[attentive1]

Coats is at it again. You re-elected this creep after the same song and dance. Here he is again, same song, second verse. There are so few deputies on the road that on more than a few occasions deputies have been seen parked off road socializing. Does he still have his own air force.
And for you whiners, get a grip; you can't have your cake and eat it. Your quality of life is a function of taxation. Taxes are the payment for services rendered. No payment, no services. Pay up and stop whining.
geeeeeeeeeeeeez it is not rocket science.

[attentive1]

You are correct when you say "Your quality of life is a function of taxation." The tax rate and quality of life are inversely proportional.