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Millage increase discussed at Council workshop
Budget meetings yield talk of jump to 3.9236 mills.
By JEFF M. HARDISON
jhardison@lakeciutyreporter.com
City Manager Scott Reynolds suggested to City Council on Tuesday evening that the city’s millage rate be increased from its current 3.4434 mills to 3.9236 mills for the coming fiscal year.
Reynolds also suggested cutting jobs from city employment, as well as adding an engineer.
The city’s budget meetings are slated to start at 6 p.m. each night this week in City Council Chambers. Council members hope to complete the workshops on Thursday night. The workshops will lead to two public hearings, where residents can address City Council before it adopts the budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year.
Vice Mayor John Robertson confirmed with Mayor Stephen Witt that Council would not hear from the public during the workshops Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and perhaps Friday evening.
Part of the General Fund of the budget comes from ad valorem property taxes. The General Fund was the part of the budget discussed the most Tuesday night.
Each property owners’ ad valorem property taxes are determined by the millage multiplied by the appraised taxable value. This equals the property tax revenue part of the budget. Appraised property values increased by about 4 percent this year, Reynolds said, and that means the 3.4434 mills could be rolled back to 3.3851 mills to generate the same revenue as was generated this year.
A simple majority vote of the City Council could adopt the rollback rate. It would take two-thirds of the five members to adopt the highest millage increase allowed for Lake City — 3.9236 mills. That might translate into four of the council members who must vote to pass the highest millage.
Reynolds said the property value this year is almost $706.8 million, and the 4 percent increase results from annexation and construction.
The millage imposed by Lake City government dropped to 3.4434 mills
in 2007-08, after being 3.555 mills in 2006-07, according to records in the office of Columbia County Tax Collector Ronnie Brannon.
For every $1,000 worth of appraised taxable value, 1 mill equals $1.
The first draft of the proposed budget actually reflects a net reduction of eight positions in the General Fund, Reynolds said, with an increase of one in the Water and Sewer Fund. The four jobs recommended for being cut are assistant city manager, IT help desk support technician, planning technician in Growth Management, and two part-time recreation aides at the Richardson Gym, and four public works maintenance workers.
Four positions were moved from the General Fund to the Storm Water Utility Fund, which is a new funding source this year. The total savings to the General Fund from these personnel changes, while allowing some salary increases, was $502,856, Reynolds said.
By hiring an engineer at $55,000, whom City Engineer Henry Sheldon would oversee, it will save the city money, Reynolds said. The new engineer would help resolve issues related to natural gas, storm water, wastewater treatment and roads, Reynolds said.
Reynolds also suggested cutting jobs from city employment, as well as adding an engineer.
The city’s budget meetings are slated to start at 6 p.m. each night this week in City Council Chambers. Council members hope to complete the workshops on Thursday night. The workshops will lead to two public hearings, where residents can address City Council before it adopts the budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year.
Vice Mayor John Robertson confirmed with Mayor Stephen Witt that Council would not hear from the public during the workshops Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and perhaps Friday evening.
Part of the General Fund of the budget comes from ad valorem property taxes. The General Fund was the part of the budget discussed the most Tuesday night.
Each property owners’ ad valorem property taxes are determined by the millage multiplied by the appraised taxable value. This equals the property tax revenue part of the budget. Appraised property values increased by about 4 percent this year, Reynolds said, and that means the 3.4434 mills could be rolled back to 3.3851 mills to generate the same revenue as was generated this year.
A simple majority vote of the City Council could adopt the rollback rate. It would take two-thirds of the five members to adopt the highest millage increase allowed for Lake City — 3.9236 mills. That might translate into four of the council members who must vote to pass the highest millage.
Reynolds said the property value this year is almost $706.8 million, and the 4 percent increase results from annexation and construction.
The millage imposed by Lake City government dropped to 3.4434 mills
in 2007-08, after being 3.555 mills in 2006-07, according to records in the office of Columbia County Tax Collector Ronnie Brannon.
For every $1,000 worth of appraised taxable value, 1 mill equals $1.
The first draft of the proposed budget actually reflects a net reduction of eight positions in the General Fund, Reynolds said, with an increase of one in the Water and Sewer Fund. The four jobs recommended for being cut are assistant city manager, IT help desk support technician, planning technician in Growth Management, and two part-time recreation aides at the Richardson Gym, and four public works maintenance workers.
Four positions were moved from the General Fund to the Storm Water Utility Fund, which is a new funding source this year. The total savings to the General Fund from these personnel changes, while allowing some salary increases, was $502,856, Reynolds said.
By hiring an engineer at $55,000, whom City Engineer Henry Sheldon would oversee, it will save the city money, Reynolds said. The new engineer would help resolve issues related to natural gas, storm water, wastewater treatment and roads, Reynolds said.
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