New Port Richey officials, trying to find $1.2-million, discard other options for the millage hike.
By MELIA BOWIE
Published September 9, 2003
NEW PORT RICHEY - City officials walked into a special budget hearing Monday night faced with a $1.2-million budget shortfall and a proposal to raise taxes.
The recommended hike from city staff: from 6.25 mills to 7.5. Such a move would mean a homeowner with a $100,000 home and a $25,000 homestead exemption would pay $562.50 instead of $468.75. The increase was approved Monday night on a first reading.
Along with a recently passed street light fee expected to raise $203,000 a year, the tax increase would generate enough revenue to balance New Port Richey's operating budget for 2003-2004.
Audience members spoke against the hike, saying residents and businesses cannot afford it.
"You can only get so much blood out of a turnip," said Bill Weiskopf, who owns Weiskopf Travel on Main Street.
"You people have to get your head out of the sky," added George Henry, a former mayor. "When you blighted the whole city, the tax money we would have been getting for the city is going into redevelopment, and you can't use it for anything else.
"You've got your head too high ... and every year you're going to be faced with this," Henry said of the budget crunch.
City Council members approved 4-1 (with deputy mayor Tom Finn in opposition) the tax increase.
However, prior to the vote, individual City Council members offered up a variety of solutions to balance the city's $34.4-million budget.
Finn proposed leaving the millage at 6.25 and over the next five years cutting the Police Department's patrol division and letting the county take over those services. He also recommended turning over the city library to the county, transforming the fire department into two EMS response teams, and eliminating 10 firefighting and supervision jobs through attrition while letting the county put out fires.
The motion failed.
Council member Ginny Miller proposed salary cuts for council members and the city's management staff to save jobs. She also asked to explore consolidating services with the county and with sister city Port Richey to reduce costs.
Council member Bob Langford suggested cost cuts by changing the city's data processing services instead of laying off employees.
The options will be explored at a Sept. 18 budget workshop at 7 p.m. The City Council is scheduled to adopt New Port Richey's final budget for 2003-2004 on Sept. 25.
