Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 05 17 Approval of May 3, 3007 Meeting Minutes CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AH HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING MAY 3, 2007 1. CALL TO ORDER The Ad Hoc Winter Springs Citizen Property Tax Reform Mitigation Study Committee Meeting of Thursday, May 3, 2007 was called to Order at 6:32 p.m. by Chairman Michael S. Blake in the Commission Chambers of the Municipal Building (City Hall, 1126 East State Road 434, Winter Springs, Florida 32708). 2. ROLL CALL Chairman Michael S. Blake, present Vice Chairman Mathew Matisak, absent Committee Member Sondra Ahlers, absent Committee Member Ethel Beecher, present Committee Member Fred G. Curtis, present Committee Member Kathryn Fairchild, present Committee Member Mark Fischer, absent Committee Member Cindy Gennell, present Committee Member Byron Giltz, present Committee Member Dale Kirby, present Committee Member Ron Ligthart, present Committee Member Gerry M. Marino, present Committee Member Edward Martinez, Jr., present Committee Member Richard M. Mastroberte, present Committee Member David W. McLeod, present Committee Member Terry Patten, present Committee Member Bill Poe, present Committee Member Bob Rucci, present Committee Member Max Swaim, present Committee Member Rande Thompson, present Committee Member Stephen Thompson, present Committee Member Ron Ligthart led the Pledge of Allegiance. ~ r--~ ::-- c::::> ~ ~ ,.... I --~ ~ l ~ CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGA nON STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING - MAY 3, 2007 PAGE20F4 3. CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS BUDGET/FINANCIAL OVERVIEW City Manager Ronald W. McLemore introduced this Agenda Item and displayed a PowerPoint presentation on "City of Winter Springs Budget and Financial Overview". Manager McLemore reviewed with the Committee Members the specific Tasks as directed by the City Commission and continued with the "City of Winter Springs Budget and Financial Overview". Committee Member Rande Thompson left the Meeting at 6:56 p.m. Referring to the PowerPoint presentation, Mr. Kevin Smith, Director, General Services Department spoke about the General Fund Revenues and the Property Tax Revenue slide and said, "The Property Appraiser gives us a taxable value, he assesses the property in the City, tells us what it is, Commission sets the Millage Rate, multiply that Millage Rate by the Property Tax, Taxable Value and essentially you get your Revenue." Continuing the general overview of how the General Fund operates, Mr. Smith said, "In 2004 - a Referendum was placed in front of the citizens and was approved to allow us to purchase the expansion property for Central Winds Park. That resulted in what is known as a Voted Millage Rate. Voted Debt Service Millage Rate is added on top of your normal Operating rate to get a total Millage Rate. So, you would take your 4.3 Millage [Rate] and add .25 for a total of 4.55 Millage in FY (Fiscal Year) [20]'07." Mr. Smith presented the next presentation, "Property Tax Reform, An Honest Look" and explained the effects it will have on the City of Winter Springs. Tape l/Side B Mr. Smith spoke of a Florida League Of Cities document called "Legislative Alert" and stated, "I've got copies of it if anyone would like it." Discussion. Committee Member Bob Rucci said, "You have a couple of fabulous PowerPoint's - can you email them to the people on the Committee?" Manager McLemore stated, "Yes." Committee Member Rucci then said, "You presented it very clearly and distinctly and I appreciate it. Thank you." Regarding Tax Revenues, Committee Member Ron Ligthart asked Mr. Smith, "I would like to get a copy of it because I would like to look at some of the numbers where the change occurs." Mr. Smith said, "Sure." Discussion ensued on Revenues. ~ ~ ;::~ c:::. ~ ~ " ,.... I ~ :-.' ; ~ CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING - MAY 3, 2007 PAGE30F4 Committee Member Byron Giltz mentioned a Community Hearing presented by Seminole County Government on Wednesday, May 91\ 2007 at Oviedo City Hall at 7:00 p.m. Committee Member Kathryn Fairchild asked, "Are we still going to be able as a Committee to have access to the Department Heads?" Manager McLemore said, "You definitely are because we want you to be very familiar with what they do." Discussion ensued on Taxable Base on Residential versus Commercial. Committee Member Gerry Marino asked, "Does Commercial pay Impact Fees?" Manager McLemore said, "Absolutely." Manager McLemore added, "Impact Fee Funds are restrictive Revenue Funds. Again, for example, the Road Impact Fees, can only be used for roads and nothing else." Manager McLemore stated, "They are very important, but they can only be used for new growth - and cannot be used to maintain your current capacity. " Committee Member Marino asked about the Economic Development Council and getting new businesses in the area. Manager McLemore said, "We need to be able to coordinate with those agencies that are already doing that and that is our goal and that is to make sure that we are coordinating with them, doing some of the things that we've done like making sure our land is zoned properly for that type of Development and being able to perform the role we need to perform when those opportunities exist." Discussion. Committee Member Byron Giltz departed the Meeting at 7:53 p.m. Further discussion ensued on property taxes. Regarding sales tax, Committee Member Marino asked Mr. Smith, "The two and a half percent (212%) - sales tax, on the average family, what is the average sales tax on a family increase to?" Mr. Smith said, "I have a document that has that Data. I just do not have it here." Regarding the Sunshine Law, Committee Member Edward Martinez, Jr. asked, "I would like to know if we have a contact person in your office for this Group to reach out to when we have a question?" It was noted that Mr. Smith is the contact person. Chairman Blake further spoke about the Sunshine Law. Chairman Blake added, "Be very, very careful in any contact that you have with any other fellow Board [Committee] Members relating to information that we will be discussing or ultimately making a recommendation on." Committee Member Martinez stated, "That is the point I wanted to make." Committee Member Dale Kirby said to Mr. Smith, "In your PowerPoint - but, could you change the acronym 'COWS' - so, if you can change that." r-"II ~ ~ c::::. ~ ~ r' II ::~ ~ CITY OF WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA MINUTES AD HOC WINTER SPRINGS CITIZEN PROPERTY TAX REFORM MITIGATION STUDY COMMITTEE MEETING - MAY 3, 2007 PAGE40F4 Asking about Proposition 13, Committee Member Ligthart said, "Is that similar to our 'Save Our Homes'? Does anybody know?" Manager McLemore said, "I think the intent is probably the same to limit taxes. I could not comment. I do not know." Committee Member Ligthart said, "I will research that too." Manager McLemore said, "I can find out." Discussion ensued on the Town Center. Tape 2/Side A Committee Member Rande Thompson returned to the Meeting. Discussion ensued on Commercial and Residential Revenue. 4. WRAP UP DISCUSSION Regarding the next Meeting, Chairman Blake said, "May 1 ih [2007], two (2) weeks from tonight. And that will be in this [Commission] Chamber. We will have an individual from [Mr.] Hank Fishkind's Firm and they have done an extensive amount of work throughout the entire Session up there working for the counties but still local government, and we have been very involved working behind the scenes and doing some economic research in terms of what some of the different proposals up there might bring for us. As - Ron [McLemore] and Kevin [Smith] mentioned, a Special Session has been scheduled for June 1ih [2007] two (2) weeks." Committee Member Fred G. Curtis said, "If anyone brings a PowerPoint presentation, they ought to bring enough copies to the [Committee] Members." Chairman Blake said, "Both of the ones you saw today, you will get a copy of it. The Clerk will emai1 both of them to each of us." Continuing, Chairman Blake then said, "Any information that we get is available to us. If there is something you did not get or you need another copy of, call [Mr.] Kevin Smith, he will get it to you." 5. ADJOURNMENT Chairman Blake adjourned the Meeting at 8:10 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: ANDREA LORENZO-LUACES, CMC CITY CLERK JOAN L. BROWN, DEPUTY CITY CLERK NOTE: These Minutes were approved at the Mitigation Study Committee. , 2007 Ad Hoc Winter Springs Citizen Property Tax Reform ".........., ~ ~ c:::> ~ ~~ Q..... ::~ ;--...