Beach Renourishment
Following recent storms, including TS Noel, the South Beaches have once again been critically eroded. While we continue to search for long term solutions, please click the links below to read information regarding beach renourishment.
South Beaches Economic Report pdf
Beach and Dune Erosion Staff Report pdf
SouthMelbourneBeaches.com (a citizen's website)
Graphic above shows that the BOCC has reduced tax millage as the property values
have increased. Of course, I believe we can lower the property taxes even
more. (Click graphic above for a PDF file of the budget power point presented to
the board on March 8, 2007)
May 9, 2007
Malabar agrees to pay for
patrols
BY JAMES DEAN
FLORIDA TODAY
It appears Brevard County won't be taking Malabar to court over payment for law enforcement patrols.
The town council this week unanimously voted to support a property tax to pay for patrols by Brevard County Sheriff's deputies, a move the county had requested.
The tax is expected to cost town property owners about $218,000 next year.
Residents of unincorporated areas and several towns already pay the tax, but Malabar had resisted.
The town of 3,000 had weighed starting its own police department. Some residents and town officials also argued the sheriff's office was constitutionally required to provide the patrol services without an additional tax.
But Sheriff Jack Parker said a court could force him to stop using patrol deputies there, increasing emergency response times for residents. He told the town the money would help add four more deputies to the area.
The county in February initiated a conflict resolution process the state requires before government entities can sue each other.
The issues were settled at a meeting between county, town and sheriff's officials prior to Monday's vote.
"We got all our questions answered in a very positive way," said council member Bobbi Moccia.
The town plans to ask residents to approve participation in the tax on a binding 2008 ballot, and then every two years.
"People can revisit this again if they don't feel we did the right thing," Moccia said.
Contact Dean at 242-3617 or jdean@floridatoday.com.
http://floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070509/NEWS01/705090378/1006
May 9, 2007
Pay raises, libraries would take
hit
BY JAMES DEAN
FLORIDA TODAY
At least 2,900 employees won't get raises next year if Brevard County must cut $76 million in property taxes, county commissioners agreed Tuesday.
Four new library projects worth $15.3 million also were put on hold during an afternoon workshop.
The commission began setting priorities for anticipated budget cuts based on estimates of how statewide property tax reform will affect the county.
"It's very devastating to every one of us to even discuss these kinds of things," Commissioner Jackie Colon said.
The actual impact won't be known until after a special legislative session that begins June 12, about a month before a draft of the county's budget is due.
A rollback of property tax rates to 2003 levels -- a proposal commissioners were told has momentum in Tallahassee -- would mean a 24-percent hit to property tax revenues.
That percentage would increase slightly if Brevard's tax roll drops this year, as predicted by the property appraiser's preliminary estimates.
Property taxes make up less than a quarter of this year's total $1.16 billion budget, but they fund several dozen departments and agencies in part or fully, including major public safety functions.
Commissioners reiterated their intent to spare non-administrative public safety personnel from what they predict could be hundreds of layoffs, depending on the magnitude of the cuts. But those employees could have their salaries frozen, though negotiations with unions would be required.
"It seems difficult to talk about laying off numbers of people while other people get wage increases," said Commissioner Truman Scarborough. "I do believe the bottom line is going to be salaries."
The county also will ask charter offices, including the property appraiser, supervisor of elections, tax collector and clerk of courts, to prepare for 30-percent cuts in county funding, and to explain how that reduction would affect them.
More than 40 percent of the county's property tax revenue funds those five offices, with the sheriff's office by far the largest recipient.
If those offices and public safety departments that have among the most employees and biggest budgets don't make significant cuts, other departments would have to pick up the slack.
Uncertainty remains over whether the proposed rollbacks will affect tax rates approved by voters for parks and other services.
If they do, it would mean the county might choose not to build or open new parks and community centers promised to voters because once it did, it couldn't afford to operate them.
Several commissioners criticized the Legislature for increasing the level it will tax local residents for public schools, even as members accuse local governments of runaway spending.
The state justified that increase by citing costs related to the 2002 constitutional amendment voters approved to reduce class sizes.
"So they get to pick and choose when the citizens get listened to?" said Commissioner Chuck Nelson.
Commissioner Helen Voltz said she doubts the state will take any action that would dramatically hurt the county's quality of life, and the county needs to tighten its belt by prioritizing which programs were most essential.
Others weren't as confident about the eventual outcome.
Scarborough said that while any agency can cut costs slightly or hold off on maintenance and new equipment, those savings wouldn't nearly add up to $76 million.
"We can go there, but we need to find $10-million budgets to cut first," he said.
The commission plans to analyze individual program costs rather than asking departments for reductions across the board.
Another budget workshop is scheduled at 1 p.m. Thursday. Among the topics will be whether to proceed with borrowing about $50 million for dozens of road projects.
Contact Dean at 242-3617 or jdean@floridatoday.com.
http://floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070509/NEWS01/705090374/1006
April 22, 2007
Tax spending shows big increases
As growth continues, more
funds needed for increased services
BY JOHN McCARTHY
and JAMES DEAN
Advocates of property tax reform have likened local governments to drunken sailors on shore leave, recklessly spending tax dollars as collections soar. They point to a tax reform committee report that found property tax revenues are up 80 percent since 2000.
A FLORIDA TODAY examination of five years' worth of local governments' budgets shows that Brevard County, the 15 cities and Brevard Public Schools have substantially increased spending -- but not by as much as their critics imply.
Collectively, the county, cities and school district are budgeted to spend $2.94 billion this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. That's nearly a 70 percent increase over the $1.74 billion they spent five years ago.
But the raw numbers don't take into account the nearly 58,000-person growth in the county's population during the same five years. Brevard County governments will spend a combined $5,410 a year per resident, an increase of about 51 percent more than five years ago when it was just $3,577.
The average annual increase of in per capita spending is more than triple the overall rate of inflation, which has increased by about 2.6 percent annually in the past five years.
Reform advocates say that money has been spent recklessly. Local governments, though, say the money has been used to put more police on the streets and teachers in classrooms, to build new roads and repair aging ones, and to build new parks and buy environmentally endangered land as demanded by voters.
That's too much spending, said Rich Smith, a retired space worker who has lived on Merritt Island for 40 years.
"I think their income has gone up far faster than it should," he said. "It has to be tied to inflation."
But government officials and independent economists say it's unrealistic to compare the growth in government costs with that of average consumers. That's because the cost of the things governments buy -- such as asphalt to build new roads and health insurance for employees -- grows much faster than such consumer products as food and clothing.
"They buy a whole lot of concrete and steel and fuel and pensions," Fishkind & Associates founder Hank Fishkind said. "And the price of concrete and steel and fuel and pensions have increased a lot faster than inflation."
Fishkind, one of the state's most influential economists, has said that as much as 60 percent of the increased spending by local governments around the state has gone to capital projects -- such as building new schools and roads -- and for programs mandated by the state of federal governments.
Public safety accounted for about a third of all new spending, Fishkind said.
City spending in flux
Statewide, cities' tax revenues have increased faster than county or school district budgets, according to a December report from a tax-reform committee appointed by former Gov. Jeb Bush last year.
In Brevard County in the past five years, city property tax revenue increases have ranged from a low of 28 percent in Melbourne Beach to a high of 372 percent in Cape Canaveral.
But, again, raw numbers don't tell the whole story. Melbourne Beach's growth might have been slower, for instance, but the $201 it collects per capita this year is more than twice Cape Canaveral's $96.57.
And Cape Canaveral is the only city in the county where voters have approved specific taxes to be dedicated to police and fire service.
Canaveral residents voted to increase the fire tax rate in 2001 and the police tax rate in 2002. That has allowed the city to buy new equipment and hire additional deputies and firefighters.
"We have a history of asking voters if they want an increased level of service and if they are willing to be taxed for those increased levels," City Manger Bennett Boucher said.
Even the per capita numbers can be misleading.
Cocoa Beach, for instance, collects the most taxes per resident, $390 each. But as the snowbird and tourist hub of the county, it must provide services to far more people than the 12,661 people who call it home.
In the winter and during holiday weekends, the number of people in Cocoa Beach can more than double. And those visitors are one of the major economic engines of the entire county.
"We have to be able to deal with peak loads," Cocoa Beach Assistant City Manager A.J. Hutson said. He pointed out that 80 percent of police calls and 50 percent of emergency medical calls are for nonresidents.
"We are a tourist destination. The services we provide are for the residents and the tourists."
Rising salaries for police officers and firefighters have been a major cost for virtually every city in Central Florida, Hutson said.
"That's kind of a keeping up with the Joneses issue," Hutson said. "If your wage scale is $5,000 less for a starting police officer or firefighter compared with other Central Florida cities, then you are going to have to up your scale."
All cities have talked about how possible tax reforms would affect their budgets and the services they provide residents. But until Tallahassee provides a definitive plan, it's impossible to point to specific cuts.
Hutson said Cocoa Beach would do everything possible to avoid cutting vital services such as police. But even other cuts could hurt over the long haul, he said. He compares some of the things the city could do to putting off home maintenance.
"Instead of going four years to paint the house, you can go five," Hutson said. "You can do that in the short run. . . . But after a while, putting off maintenance can cost you more in the long run.
County spending up
The sheriff's office budget from general funds has jumped $27.5 million, or 46 percent since 2003. New money has paid for 22 new patrol deputies and an overdue expansion of the jail, including 89 civilian positions there, Assistant County Manager Stockton Whitten said.
Another $5.7 million went to pay for new fire engines and ambulances and raises for fire-rescue personnel.
Spending by four other charter offices that the county must fund -- including the property appraiser, tax collector, elections supervisor and clerk of courts -- is up between 35 percent and 47 percent in the past five years.
Some of the recent surge in revenue also includes taxes residents have endorsed themselves, primarily for new parks and conservation of environmentally sensitive lands.
This year, that amounted to about $40 million, or about 17 percent of all property taxes collected.
"The story we've tried to tell our legislative delegation is that our situation is fairly different from other counties," Whitten said.
On top of those expenses, new, recurring state mandates this year include $4.4 million for Medicaid, $3 million for pretrial detention of juveniles and $2.8 million for the courts.
Clerk of the Court Scott Ellis, a vocal critic of county spending, says those increases don't excuse scores of wasteful decisions by county commissioners.
Though approved by voters, he says the county wouldn't have needed to ask for $85.7 million last year to complete parks projects if the first referendum in 2000 had been managed properly. Costs projections have continued to increase since the second referendum was proposed.
He also cited $18 million to replenish sand in Satellite Beach and Indian Harbour Beach, more money for business development and a study that recommended large raises for some county employees among decisions that will prove painful when revenue declines, as it may next year.
"It really comes down to priorities," he said. "They could have reduced the windfall if they wanted to. All the extra money just got to be a habit. Everyone showed up and (county commissioners) just gave them what they asked for."
Overall, growth in county government spending has been among the most modest of all local governments. County spending has increased by only 4.7 percent a year when accounting for population growth.
School construction
At the other end of the spectrum is Brevard Public Schools. Per-student spending has increased by an average of 13.8 percent a year for the past five years.
But unlike other government agencies, the school budget is largely controlled by the state, which dictates a "Required Local Effort" each district must raise through property taxes.
Former Gov. Jeb Bush made raising education spending a priority. And in recent years, the Legislature has touted the money it has poured into public education. Additionally, the school system has had to deal with the increased costs of voter-mandated class-size limits.
The school district has hired 500 new teachers to meet those limits.
"The state really controls the overall bottom line," said Judy Preston, associate superintendent of finance for the school district. "If we can generate more, they'll give us less."
She pointed out that the state's share of the school district's budget dropped from 67 percent in 2002 to 58 percent this year.
Some of the most visible signs of new spending relate to the district's seven-year, $890 million plan to renovate existing schools and build seven new schools. Now in its second year, that plan boosted this year's $1.2 billion district budget with $192 million the district borrowed, but without raising taxes.
The FLORIDA TODAY analysis found that spending on school construction was a major factor in the overall increased spending countywide. Removing the schools' capital expenditures from the equation shows that overall spending would have increased 5.4 percent on average.
Fla. 'not much better'
But even though per-capita city and county spending haven't skyrocketed as much as critics claim, some residents' tax bills have.
Florida has a two-tier system of assessing properties, and owners of second homes and businesses don't enjoy the same tax exemptions and caps as year-round residents with homestead status. John Lenza left Verona, N.J., three years ago for Palm Bay. His $12,000 property tax bill up north was a prime factor in the move.
"I was trying to escape the outrageous property taxes in New Jersey."
Today, his tax bill for his Bayside Lakes home is $6,000.
"I'm in a better situation, but not much better."
Lenza, a real estate agent, said that rising tax bills has put the dream of owning a home out of reach for many working people here. In the long run, he said, that will be a drag on the economy.
"I see people leaving here all the time, every day. . . . The average person cannot afford to live here."
Contact McCarthy at 321-242-5018 or Dean at 321-242-3617.
http://floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070422/NEWS01/704220344/-1/archives
Brevard marina owners won't be docked if they need to rebuild
By LAMAUR STANCIL
lamaur.stancil@scripps.com
April 8, 2007
MICCO — Brevard County officials have made it easier for marina owners, such as the one on Main Street, to rebuild following a disaster.
And for residents living near the San Sebastian Marina, they shouldn't have to worry about something completely different being built on the land.
The County Commission last week granted a conditional-use permit for the marina and amended an ordinance to cut the red tape for rebuilding them. San Sebastian Marina owner Joe Baggs sought the permit because rezoning in Micco has made his business along the St. Sebastian River a nonconforming use.
Baggs has been allowed to run the marina as a grandfathered business, but without the permit granted Thursday he would not have been able to rebuild because of the zoning. His request prompted the county to rewrite its ordinance for the sake of other marina owners.
"The ordinance was so strict that they wouldn't be able to rebuild their marinas, and they would have to build something else, like a condominium," said County Commissioner Helen Voltz, whose district includes Micco. "I'd rather see marinas than condos."
Condo concerns had caught the eye of Micco-based Citizens Coalition of the South Mainland when Baggs applied for his permit. Chairwoman Vicki Benoit said some confusing language in the application had her concerned that whatever was rebuilt would be more than 35 feet high. Instead, the county restricts buildings to no more than 35 feet.
With that misunderstanding out of the way, Benoit said she's pleased with the county's decision.
"Everyone seems happy with it, and it's a moot issue now," Benoit said.
Boats have been docking at the marina for more than 50 years.
THE COMMISSION'S DECISION
The Brevard County Commission gave a conditional-use permit to the San Sebastian Marina on Main Street in Micco. The business has been there for years, but its owner sought the permit to allow him to rebuild if the marina was ever destroyed by a hurricane or another catastrophe.
URL: http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_5471007,00.html
Micco Road to undergo $3.5 million face-lift in 2 months
By LAMAUR STANCIL
lamaur.stancil@scripps.com
March 28, 2007
MICCO — Residents have been complaining about the condition of Micco Road for at least 10 years.
"I try not to use it, due to the bad condition and congestion," Micco resident Frankie Schott said. "I think it would need to be widened."
But in a year, Schott and other Micco residents may find the road easier to traverse. Brevard County Commissioner Helen Voltz said work crews will begin $3.5 million in improvements on the eastern half of the road in 2 months. Turn lanes will be placed at key intersections of the road between the railroad tracks and Dottie Lane and almost two miles of sidewalk will be added on the south side of the road starting at U.S. 1.
The problem with the two-lane road, residents said, is it's worn down and too narrow for the traffic it has to accommodate. Almost 10,000 people live in Barefoot Bay, which is cut in two by Micco Road. And looming on the horizon is more traffic from Palm Bay, which has annexed land east of Dottie and plans to put a subdivision on the road west of Barefoot Bay.
The road is treacherous for southside Barefoot Bay residents to cross — whether on foot or in a vehicle — and vice versa. Some parents on the south side of the road, for example, won't allow their children to cross to the north side to see friends or visit the Barefoot Bay pools.
"It's dangerous out there," Barefoot Bay mother Robin Phillips said.
Phillips and other residents recall a February 2004 morning when two teenagers were struck by a vehicle while waiting for a school bus on the corner of Micco and Brown roads. Brevard County school buses pick up students for Bayside High School and Southwest Middle School at bus stops along Micco Road.
A lack of money has been the reason the county hasn't been able to pay for the improvements before now.
In 2003, Brevard voters turned down a 1-cent sales tax referendum that would have provided $29 million for the same improvements to be done this year, plus work to smooth out the S-curves west of Barefoot Bay. That's because voters were against the full $450 million package in the referendum, which included projects for law enforcement, environmental protection and various county facilities.
Last year, Voltz said bids for the Micco Road work came in $1 million more than budgeted. But county officials were satisfied by this year's bids.
The work pending still leaves the troublesome S-curves a few miles west of U.S. 1. The speed limit on Micco Road is 45 mph approaching the first S-curve, then traffic signs advise of the curve and recommend motorists reduce their speed. But some motorists don't heed the warning and have caused accidents. The county doesn't have plans to improve that portion of the road, but Tequesta developer Dan Logan, who is planning to build a subdivision on Micco Road, has said he'll pay for the improvements when he builds the homes.
"It wouldn't be a selling point to have a bad road out there in front of the development," Voltz said.
MICCO ROAD
• Runs 5 1/2 miles from U.S. 1 in Micco to Babcock Street and crosses over Interstate 95, though there's no interchange
• Two lanes with a
railroad crossing
THE ROAD WORK
• Brevard County plans to spend $3.5 million on improvements for the Micco Road.
• A sidewalk will be added to the south side of Micco Road from U.S. 1 to Dottie Lane.
• Turn lanes will be placed at certain intersections.
URL: http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_5446724,00.html
February 12,
2007
Seniors could see extra tax
savings
BY KIMBERLY C. MOORE
FLORIDA TODAY
June Barker, 75, and Margaret Elliott, 80, of the Meadows South duplex community rest a little easier because a $25,000 homestead exemption for low-income seniors gives them about $226 in extra cash each year.
"It may be very little, but to those on a fixed income, it means extra money for other bills," Barker said. "I just had to join an HMO in order to cover my medication and doctors and all."
More relief could be coming.
Last November, Florida voters overwhelmingly approved an additional $25,000
homestead exemption for low-
income seniors.
The exemption is in addition to the $25,000 low-income exemption, plus the
standard $25,000 homestead exemption. It won't mean an across-the-board $75,000
exemption, but it does mean savings for low-
income seniors.
For Barker and Elliott, their tax savings soon might double. Both pay about $170 a year in property taxes. Both earn less than $24,000, which qualifies them for the senior discount.
"I get a little bit of pension and Social Security and it does not even come to that," Elliott said.
Dianne Johns, a spokesperson for the Brevard County Property Appraiser's Office, explained that property taxes are calculated as a small percentage of the taxable value of a property. There are about a dozen different taxing authorities receiving a chunk of property tax payments, each using a different percentage and different taxable values.
People who have a homestead exemption are taxed on $25,000 less than their
property's value. So, a home worth $100,000 has a taxable value of
$75,000 for all taxing authorities. The existing senior exemption of $25,000 on
property taxes applies only to two authorities:
Areas that allow the existing senior discount are unincorporated Brevard County, Cocoa, Grant-Valkaria, Indian Harbour Beach, Malabar, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Village, Satellite Beach, Titusville and West Melbourne.
Seniors who want to apply for the existing discount have until March 1. The county appraiser's office will want to see income tax forms and earning income statements. Each subsequent year, those who qualify will be asked to file an affidavit with the county.
Before the new exemption takes effect, the state Legislature, county government and local municipalities must vote on implementing the new exemption.
County Commission Chairwoman Helen Voltz is spearheading a movement to get the ordinance passed by the county.
"I don't want to see (seniors) taxed or insured out of their homes," Voltz said. "If your taxes continue to go up, they really have no place to go."
While some have argued it will cost the taxing authorities too much money, Johns pointed out 6,345 people throughout the entire county qualified for the senior discount last year, which cost the county $27,435 in taxes.
Palm Bay is also considering implementing both senior discounts. City Manager Lee Feldman said it would cost the city about $214,400 in taxes.
Johns said that helping seniors is more important than collecting the tax money.
"A lot of times, it's the difference between (them) eating or not eating or buying medicine or not," Johns said. "These are the kinds of people you really want to help."
Contact Moore at 321-480-5166 or kmoore@floridatoday.com.
http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070212/NEWS01/702120325/1006
Nhttp://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070419/BREAKINGNEWS/70419032/1086
-----Original Message-----
From: Clifford R. Repperger, Jr., Esq. <CRepperger@gray-robinson.com>
To: Jones, Terri L
CC: Sullivan, Tom; Lyon, Edward J; Hill, Christopher H; Voltz, Helen P
Sent: Mon Jun 04 18:49:43 2007
Subject: Hamptons Demolition
Terri,
Pursuant to our telephone conference today, I wanted to take a moment to give you a status update on the Hamptons demolition.
Our project manager (BMS construction) has recently received the formal environmental report and analysis from our testing and analysis contractor PbO3. Consistent with those findings, we intend to abate by having the presumed asbestos material (400 sq. ft. of rolled vinyl floor backing) on the first floor of Building A and (850 sq. ft. of rolled vinyl floor backing in each) the first floors of Buildings B and C removed prior to demolition. The remaining non-friable asbestos containing material in all three buildings (vinyl flooring on second and third floors) and asbestos containing roofing material will be demolished in place in a controlled wet demolition.
BMS is meeting with the abatement contractor tomorrow to finalize the arrangements for abatement and to try to get a contract in place by Wednesday. The abatement contractor then needs to give the Department of Environmental Protection 10 days notice of its plans for abatement. The contractor has initially estimated that it will take 4 days to abate the material on the first floors of Buildings A, B and C, at which time the demolition can start.
BMS and the owners are also in the final stages of selecting the demolition contractor. The demolition contractor also needs to give the Department of Environmental Protection 10 days notice of its plans. We would like to finalize the selection and have the selected contractor file its notice asap so that it can begin demolition as soon as the asbestos abatement is concluded. If events proceed as BMS has outlined, the abatement should commence about June 16 or 17 and be completed by June 20 to 21, at which time the demolition will commence. That is a best case scenario that assumes absolutely no delays. I am unsure if the DEP issues approvals or simply imposes the notice requirement, but if DEP issues anything to us earlier that changes these stated timeframes, I'll let you know.
On another related matter, the ownership group has asked me to request copies of the Building Department/Code Enforcement files that Tom Sullivan is maintaining. They would like to have copies of the files so that they may be able to appropriately question the insurance inspector who we understand recently viewed them. Therefore, I ask that you treat this email as a public records request pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statutes. I appreciate your assistance in helping to facilitate this request. Either Tom or the appropriate Building Department custodian can feel free to contact me when the request is complete and advise me of any costs incurred by County in formulating a response. We can arrange for pick up of any documents produced at that time.
Until then, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards,
Cliff
Clifford R. Repperger, Jr., Esq.
GrayRobinson, P.A.
1800 West Hibiscus Blvd., Suite 138
P.O. Box 1870 (32902-1870)
Melbourne, Florida 32901
Main: 321-727-8100 | Fax: 321-984-4122
GRAY | ROBINSON
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
During Commissioner Voltz's first term, she was instrumental in the creation of the Juvenile Assessment Center in Brevard County. Click the picture above to read the latest newsletter on this important program and service to the citizens of our community.
(If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please click Adobe logo for the
download link.)
(If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please click Adobe logo for the
download link.)
Letter
to Senator Haridopolos about Property Taxes and Valuations (October 2006)
(If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, please click Adobe logo for the
download link.)
| Proposed Cuts To Be Discussed at Budget Hearing | ||
| (posted 09/13/2006)
The attached document details proposed cuts to the Fiscal Year 2006-2007 operating budget. They will be discussed at the Budget Hearing on September 26. Details Click Here |
September 11, 2006
Ref: Line Item Cuts to the Proposed 2006/2007 Budget
In response to the rising cost-of-living (insurance, gas, etc) to all county residents and potential impacts of the new Fire/EMS assessment upon some of the residents of unincorporated Brevard County, County Commission Chair Helen Voltz is recommending to trim the proposed county budget. The attached files represent $ 8,802,484 of line item cuts to the proposed 2006/2007 budget. These cuts will be presented during the September 12, 2006, 5:30pm (Viera, Bldg C) Brevard County Board of County Commissioners Budget Hearing.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact our office.
Respectfully submitted,
Tres' Holton
Special Assistant to Commissioner Voltz
Brevard County Commission District 3
321-952-6300 (Office)
321-960-2378 (Cell)
http://www.mycommissiondistrict3.com
tres.holton@brevardcounty.us
Please note: Florida has a very broad public records law.
Most written communications to or from the offices of elected officials are public records available to the public and media upon request. Your email communications may therefore be subject to public disclosure.
September 27,
2006
County approves $1.16B budget
$39M increase will help fund
pay raises
BY JEFF SCHWEERS
FLORIDA TODAY
Public testimony and discussion about the negative effects of rising property values and insurance rates on homeowners' wallets didn't stop Brevard County commissioners from approving a $1.16 billion budget Tuesday night.
Residents begged commissioners to control spending while agency directors implored them to restore funding during the four-hour meeting, but commissioners voted 3-2 to increase spending next year by $39 million.
"It's the best budget we can pass this year," Commissioner Sue Carlson said. "We've toiled at this for nine months."
Much of the tax revenue windfall will pay salary increases for about 42 percent of county workers whose wages were deemed below regional averages, based on a study by Cody and Associates. Other new money will pay for law enforcement, fire protection, roads and libraries.
"It's time to do it," said Carlson, who steps down in November after eight years in office.
The budget, which takes effect Oct. 1, reduces the tax rate for homeowners in unincorporated areas by 9 percent.
But soaring property values will mean larger tax bills for people whose rental and commercial property is not protected by Save Our Homes, which prevents homesteaded properties from going up in value more than three percent a year.
"We're being squeezed to the point of rebellion," said Gary Johnson, who lives in one unit of his Cocoa Beach fourplex and rents out the other three units.
But commissioners said they're not responsible for the increased assessments that are causing the big increases on those property owners' tax bills.
"It is the assessment issue that is the problem," Commission Chairwoman Helen Voltz said.
Voltz and Commissioner Ron Pritchard voted against the budget because it pushes the tax rate 10 percent over the rollback rate, which is the tax rate required to raise the same amount of revenue as this year with the new, increased property values.
It is the fourth year in a row Pritchard voted against the budget. He was voted out of office in the September primary.
Voltz and Pritchard support a 3 percent cap on spending.
Their attempt to cut an additional $14 million from the budget also failed.
"I'm disappointed we couldn't do more," Voltz said.
Contact Schweers at 242-1421 or e-mail Jschweers@flatoday.net.
*****************
September 20,
2006
County takes on tax issue
Commission calls on
lawmakers to freeze rising property values
BY JEFF SCHWEERS
FLORIDA TODAY
Azar Parchami came before the Brevard County commissioners Tuesday looking for help with the property tax bill on the Indialantic house she rents out to longtime tenants.
Parchami's assessed value went from $163,000 to $224,000 last year, and jumped almost $40,000 this year. The tax bill in turn has gone up $3,000 in the last five years, to $4,800, forcing her to raise the rent from $1,200 to $1,400 a month. "It breaks my heart. I hate to do it, but I can't afford the increase, either," she said. "I already have a negative cash flow."
County commissioners explained to her that the increase was because of a big jump in property values, not the tax rate.
They unanimously agreed to ask the Legislature to freeze future increases on property values. They'll forward their recommendation to the Property Tax Reform Committee, which was created to look at Florida's growing property tax problem.
The 15-member group, appointed by Gov. Bush, will conduct its first meeting today in Orlando. Its goal is to analyze the current property tax structure and make a final report by December 2007. They'll look at alternatives to property taxes, additional exemptions and spending limits for local governments.
"They need to put a hold on this until we get a grip on the situation," Commission Chairwoman Helen Voltz said.
State Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Indialantic, said he was encouraged by the commission's action.
"Revenues into the county have gone up dramatically, and the talk of property tax relief will be welcome to everyone," he said.
People have called his office complaining that their assessed values have gone up 30 to 40 percent this year.
"They're confused by this radical increase because for the last 9 or10 months, the market has been pretty stagnant," Haridopolos said. "Given the fluctuations in the market, it wouldn't be a bad idea to reassess how we assess value."
Commissioners said they were tired of getting blamed for raising taxes.
They've lowered the tax rate this year, Voltz said. But they have no control over rising property values. That's the job of the property appraiser. Because of a white-hot real estate market in Florida, property appraisers throughout the state have doubled and tripled the value of homes and businesses in the last three years.
Brevard's tax rolls blew up 27 percent last year, to $39.3 billion.
Homesteaded properties are protected by Save Our Homes, which limits property assessment increases to no more than 3 percent a year. But critics say it doesn't protect new homeowners stuck with inflated housing costs, renters and commercial property owners.
"All the middle class is getting kicked out of Florida," Parchami said.
Contact Schweers at 242-1421 or e-mail Jschweers@flatoday.net.
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September 13,
2006
Residents ask county to quell
spending
BY JEFF SCHWEERS
FLORIDA TODAY
Brevard County property owners already hit with rising gas, mortgage and insurance costs begged the commission Tuesday to keep costs down in the one area they can control -- taxes.
The county is looking at a $1.16 billion budget for 2007 that includes a 9 percent cut in the current tax rate, but it's still 10.28 percent above the rolled-back rate, or the rate that people would see if the budget stayed the same.
Commissioners tentatively approved the higher budget and tax rate and will make a final vote on Sept. 26. The average taxpayer will see a slight reduction on their county tax bill. Those with higher property appraisals would see higher taxes.
Near the end of the four-hour budget hearing, commissioners approved a financial assistance program to help low-income residents with their fire protection assessment. It would give each qualified homeowner a $130 break at a cost to the county of up to $3 million.
The members of the public who came to speak their minds were few but passionate.
"I would rather see no increase," Titusville resident David Duisberg said. His tax notice showed a reduction from $1,446 to $1,235 if the county didn't adopt the proposed budget and kept the rolled-back rate.
"It's becoming very unaffordable to live in Brevard," he said.
The county's tax rate is lower than it was 17 years ago. The adopted rate in 1989 was $6.10 for every $1,000 of assessed value. The proposed rate for 2007 is $5.92 per $1,000 of assessed value.
Jeff Swanson of Titusville said his tax bill is going up 10 percent on his townhouse, and 50 percent on his vacant parcel.
"I'm watching my dream of building a single family home go up in smoke," Swanson said.
Commission Chairwoman Helen Voltz recommended close to $9 million in cuts to keep spending down and find almost $3 million in fire protection fee relief for the county's neediest homeowners. Commissioner Ron Pritchard offered several other recommended cuts that would bring the savings to almost $14 million.
Those recommendations will be posted on the county's web site for residents to review.
Contact Schweers at 242-1421 or e-mail Jschweers@flatoday.net.
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Fire Service Assessment Assistance Program Created
(posted 09/14/2006)
This document contains an application for the financial
assistance program for qualified low-income homeowners who are negatively
impacted by the Fire Service Assessment fee.
Details Click Here
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (September 15, 2006):
FIRE SERVICE ASSESSMENT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CREATED
VIERA, Fla. -- The Brevard County Board of County Commissioners has established
a financial assistance program for qualified low-income homeowners who may be
negatively impacted by the Fire Service Assessment fee. Fire services will be
funded through an assessment on the Non-Ad Valorem portion of property tax bills
in unincorporated Brevard County beginning October 1.
To qualify for the assistance, residents’ annual household income must be less
than $24,999, or they must be currently receiving assistance through the Florida
Department of Children and Families food stamp program.
Property owners who are currently receiving the additional homestead exemption
for senior citizens age 65 and over will automatically receive the fire service
assessment assistance and do not need to apply.
Applications may be downloaded from the county’s website at www.brevardcounty.us,
and are available at county offices with internet connections, libraries, and
the Timothy J. Mills Fire Rescue Center in Rockledge. The deadline for
application submission is October 20.
For more information, call (321) 633-2056 or (321) 952-4700 in the south
mainland area.
###
Voltz: Fire services assessment vote her most difficult choice
By LAMAUR STANCIL
lamaur.stancil@scripps.com
September 6, 2006
BAREFOOT BAY —Brevard County Commissioner Helen Voltz said voting last week for the fire services assessment was the most difficult choice of her political career.
In some respects, though, the choice was clear. Severe budget cuts were offered as a way to eliminate the increased taxes many residents would face because of the new formula for collecting for fire services.
"We were presented with $16 million in budget cuts and the Micco Volunteer Fire Department was included," Voltz told residents Tuesday at a Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association meeting. "There was no way I was going to vote for getting rid of the volunteers. I was put in a bad spot."
Instead, the commission passed the higher assessment and will try to nullify the effect on senior citizens and low-income residents who would have a significantly higher tax bill. Those homes will receive a $129 crediton their property tax bill. More than 22,000 homes countywide and many in Barefoot Bay will benefit from the exemptions.
Cuts still will be needed for the county's $1 billion budget for fiscal 2007 to cover the shortfall created by the exemptions. Voltz said she'll propose more than $5 million in cuts, but the volunteer fire department is not one of them. The county provides $200,000 annually in insurance for the department, she said.
Voltz spoke at the association meeting to explain the assessment and the exemptions. She also spoke to Barefoot Bay residents throughout the day about the issue. Voltz carted residents from the parking lot at the Barefoot Bay Community Center to Building A for Tuesday's election. Voltz wasn't on Tuesday's ballot, but will be in 2008.
• 7:30 p.m. Tuesday: Recreation District Attorney Richard Torpy
• 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7: Commissioner Helen Voltz
• Both meetings will be in Building A
URL: http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_4970888,00.html
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Bay low-income owners up for fire tax break
By LAMAUR STANCIL
lamaur.stancil@scripps.com
August 31, 2006
VIERA — Thousands of Brevard County residents, including many in Barefoot Bay, will be spared a large increase in fire and emergency services taxes this year.
The Brevard County Commission Tuesday voted 3-2 for passing the fire department assessment for fiscal 2007 along with a tax break for certain low-income homeowners. Those who will qualify include senior citizens who use the additional senior citizen homestead exemption and households with incomes below $25,000 a year. The exemptions should nullify the effect of the assessment in Barefoot Bay and other manufactured home communities predominately filled with retirees.
The low-income property owners will be given a $129 credit for fiscal 2007, which should make up for the increase they'll see on their bill for fire service taxes. A new formula the county is using changes the tax from an assessment based on property values to a flat rate of $212 for all properties 3,000 square feet or less. That's twice as much as some residents paid this year.
More than 22,000 homeowners will benefit from Tuesday's decision, but problems linger. Commissioner Ron Pritchard said business owners won't be helped by the exemptions.
Another issue is the legality of the county providing an income-based exemption for the tax. Clerk of the Court Scott Ellis said there's no legal precedent for the commission's decision. County Attorney Scott Knox said he'll seek an opinion from the state Attorney General's Office.
"We don't know if it's legal or illegal," Ellis said. "You should be wary when you have no precedent."
The exempted households will leave a $2.8 million shortfall to cover fire services. The commission will consider using reserve money or cuts from other departments to cover the expenses during budget workshops in September.
The new formula for determining the fire tax uses the square footage of a property rather than property value. The result is lower-valued properties on smaller lots would pay much more while homes on larger properties will pay less. A circuit court judge, hearing a case brought forth by the city of Palm Bay, ruled it was illegal for the county to use property value as a basis for the fire tax. The case was part of Palm Bay's efforts to take over ambulance service from the county.
URL: http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_4956838,00.html
*****************
Barefoot Bay may pay more in taxes
By LAMAUR STANCIL
lamaur.stancil@scripps.com
August 15, 2006
BREVARD COUNTY — Homeowners in Barefoot Bay could pay twice as much in fire and emergency services taxes next year while beachside homeowners would pay less.
It's all part of the new formula that could be used to assess Brevard County residents for the services. But District 3 Commissioner Helen Voltz plans to do something about the change.
Voltz and the rest of the County Commission meets at 1 p.m. Aug. 22 to discuss the fire and rescue taxes. Residents across the county received a letter from Fire Chief Bill Farmer about the change and the commission hearing earlier this month.
An ongoing dispute between the county and the city of Palm Bay is prompting the change, county officials said. Palm Bay officials have sought permission from the county to provide ambulance service in the city, but the county has refused. As part of the dispute, the city contested the way the county has been collecting fire and rescue taxes.
Until now, property owners paid a flat $57 assessment for ambulance service and a tax for fire service based on a rate of $2.20 per $1,000 of taxable property. The new method would factor in the square footage of a lot, which could mean a manufactured home owner could end up paying the same taxes as someone with a standard home if the footage of the properties are the same, county officials said.
A property owner in Barefoot Bay with a manufactured home who paid $119 for fire and rescue services last year would pay $246 with the new system, according to county records. Voltz will oppose the change if the county can't find a way to decrease the amount of the increase, officials from her office said.
"There needs to be some way to help people who can't pay this," Tres Holton, administrative assistant to Voltz, told Barefoot Bay residents at a Board of Trustees meeting last week.
• The Brevard County Commission will discuss the fire and emergency management services taxes at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 22 at the Government Center in Viera.
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_4917153,00.html
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*****************
*****************
July 26, 2006
County tax break starts to
shrink
BY JEFF SCHWEERS
FLORIDA TODAY
VIERA - The tax savings to Brevard County residents is shrinking as the budget grows.
County commissioners voted 3-2 (COMMISSIONER VOLTZ VOTED NO TO TAX INCREASE) on Tuesday to set a tentative tax rate of almost $6 for every $1,000 of assessed value for next year, cutting the average tax savings originally calculated for homeowners in the unincorporated areas by about $30...(read the entire story here)
Tax break removed from Brevard agenda
By LAMAUR STANCIL
lamaur.stancil@scripps.com
April 23, 2007
BREVARD COUNTY — Senior citizens and low-income residents here may not get the tax break they were expecting for fire services this year.
But Commissioner Helen Voltz wants county officials to spend more time coming up with a solution to the latest problem regarding the fee.
The Brevard County Commission originally planned to discuss next week how to tax residents for fire services. Friday, Voltz had the item removed from Tuesday's agenda with no new date set yet.
An unofficial opinion from the state Attorney General's Office has the county reconsidering its relief plan for taxpayers for the current fiscal year. Brevard County Fire Rescue Chief Bill Farmer could not be reached for comment on the county's alternate plans.
After the commissioners passed a $246 fire assessment last summer, they created an exemption program for senior citizens and low-income property owners because the amount was double what many of them paid previously.
Senior citizens who qualify for the additional $25,000 homestead exemption and property owners who earn less than $24,999 a year or receive food stamps qualified for the $129 credit. County officials had expected more than 7,000 homeowners throughout Brevard to qualify for the credit.
Following a legal challenge by the city of Palm Bay, the county had to change the way it collects money for fire and emergency services, which led to the increase in those fees.
Voltz said a new proposal she's seen would provide a reduced rate for manufactured-home owners, but she wants county officials to find a broader remedy that still will include low-income property owners.
POSTPONED
The Brevard County Commission has postponed a discussion on fire service fees that would have been scheduled for Tuesday's meeting. No new date has been scheduled.
Tax discussion removed from agenda
URL: http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_5499290,00.html
GRANT-VALKARIA INCORPORATION
Letter from Commissioner Voltz (June 30, 2006)
Florida
Today Article - Panel rejects ethics charge against Voltz
March 12,
2007
Panel rejects ethics charge
against Voltz
BY JAMES DEAN
FLORIDA TODAY
Brevard County Commissioner Helen Voltz's letter in summer 2006 warning Grant and Valkaria residents of a likely tax increase if they incorporated last summer did not violate ethics rules, a state agency has found.
The ruling, issued Wednesday, was the second time since December the Florida Commission on Ethics has dismissed a complaint on the matter, saying both times the complaints didn't show Voltz received a special benefit from the letter.
Reached Friday, Voltz declined to comment.
Her June 30 letter, sent on official letterhead and at a cost to the county of $514, said "an increase in taxes will most likely occur when you incorporate."
The letter's timing, a few weeks before the voting deadline, angered incorporation supporters.
Voltz said at the time she was disseminating balanced facts to residents, many of whom had asked her opinion.
About two-thirds of voters ultimately approved the incorporation, creating Grant-Valkaria.
Palm Bay resident Robert Doucette, who filed the more recent complaint, said Friday he was reviewing the ethics commission's findings.
Grant-Valkaria Mayor Del Yonts, who had no connection to the ethics complaints, said the town has moved on.
"In my mind, it's not an issue anymore," he said.
The ethics commission also announced that complaints against three other Brevard officials were dismissed:
Contact Dean at 242-3617 or jdean@floridatoday.com.
http://floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070312/NEWS01/703120317/1006
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download link.)
Where is the best price for gas in Brevard County? Click the image below to find the station with the most affordable gas in town.
One-stop access to U.S. Government avian and pandemic flu information. Managed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
GOVERNOR BUSH SIGNS HISTORIC HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS, RESPONSE AND RECOVERY
LEGISLATION
TALLAHASSEE – Governor Jeb Bush today signed into law a series of bills to
provide historic state funding for hurricane preparedness, response and
recovery. These measures will significantly enhance Florida’s ability to prepare
for hurricanes, respond quickly in the aftermath of a storm, recover from the
damage and impacts to the economy, and mitigate future threats to public safety
and infrastructure.
Dust/Dirt in Barefoot Bay and Snug Harbour!
Click here to read (PDF) most current letter from Ed Lyons, P.E., County Permitting and Enforcement Director about the construction and dust/dirt evading the quality of life for Barefoot Bay and Snug Harbour residents.
Click here to read (PDF) most current letter from David Trafton, Special Projects Coordinator IV, Brevard County Land Devleopment about the construction and dust/dirt evading the quality of life for Barefoot Bay and Snug Harbour residents. (05-2007)
February 2007 Barefoot Bay Tattler Journal Entry
Click here to read (PDF) the 2007 letter from the Commission District 3 office with updated information about the dust/dirt.
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download link.)
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Voltz vows to tackle dust problem
By LAMAUR STANCIL
lamaur.stancil@scripps.com
November 15, 2006
BAREFOOT BAY — Brevard County Commissioner Helen Voltz told residents here Tuesday night she's ready to kick up some dirt in regards to an ongoing dust problem from a nearby development.
Voltz spoke to the Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association and said county officials are preparing to file an injunction against the land owners of the Sebastian Beach and Tennis Club construction site. The land is north of Barefoot Bay and Snug Harbor, and often generates a large amount of dust that drifts into the communities.
"The people of Barefoot Bay should not have to put up with another year of this," Voltz said. "We're going to court to force them to keep their dirt on their property."
The Clearwater-based American Land Lease is building the subdivision, formerly known as Crystal Bay. The company plans to build more than 500 homes that will be accessed at Senne Road off of U.S. 1.
Barefoot Bay and Snug Harbor residents have complained the dirt forms a thin sheet on homes and vehicles. If a resident is caught unaware and leaves a window or door open, the dirt will blow through their homes and seep into their carpet.
In addition, residents are complaining about loud noise from work going on at the property at night and on weekends. Homeowners Association Director Dale Page said he heard and smelled the work late Monday night.
"I was walking my dog at about 11 p.m., and I could hear the diesel engine going and I could smell the fuel," he told Voltz.
County officials earlier this year briefly pulled the work permit in lieu of the company providing a plan to address the dirt problem. There's also been inspections by county officials to make sure the company was watering down the undeveloped land to prevent the dirt from drifting away.
However, the problems have persisted, which is why Voltz wants to take the matter to court.
Residents can help the county's case by providing photos of dirty cars and vehicles. Anyone who has any should call Voltz's office at (321) 952-6300.
URL: http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,2545,TCP_16736_5144006,00.html
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: Tres’ Holton, Special Assistant to Commissioner Voltz
PHONE: 321-952-6300 or 321-960-2378
FAX: 321-952-6340
EMAIL: Tres.Holton@brevardcounty.us
COMMISSIONER VOLTZ DEFENDS DECORUM: SYMPATHIZES FOR CITIZEN
Viera, FL (April 25, 2006) – This morning, Brevard County Board of County Commissioners Chair, Helen Voltz, defended the ability of the Board of County Commissioners and residents to conduct the business of the people. Voltz also expressed her sympathy for a citizen who, unfortunately, had to be removed from the commission chambers. Due to his failure to comply with decorum and multiple orders from a Sheriff Deputy, this citizen was subsequently arrested.
A uniformed officer removed Walter D. Pine, a Brevard County resident, from the commission chambers because he failed to comply with the legal decorum of a properly noticed public meeting and failed to disengage. Pine was given ten (10) minutes to speak about items on the agenda, but he demanded more time. Stating he would not leave the podium until he was given his full requested time, Chair Voltz had no other recourse than to have Mr. Pine removed from the chambers. Mr. Pine was not arbitrarily discriminated against, as another resident in the same meeting was given and complied with the ten (10) minute limit.
Mr. Pine, and citizen activists like him, provide debate and participate in the democratic process that has made this country and county great. “It truly is upsetting when the act of civil disobedience reaches the level it did today. I will have Mr. Pine in my prayers.”, said Voltz.
By his own admission, Mr. Pine exclaimed outside the commission chambers that he “wanted to be arrested.”
Please forward all questions and comments to Tres’ Holton, Special Assistant to County Commissioner Helen Voltz.
- # # # -
DOWNLOAD PDF ATTORNEY OPINION ON POLICY AND PUBLIC COMMENTS
DOWNLOAD PDF BOARD OPERATING PROCEDURES
Brevard County, along with other coastal counties in Florida, is experiencing increasing demand for public access to waterways coupled with the loss of publicly accessible boating facilities. Escalating waterfront property values have led to the conversion of existing privately owned marinas and boatyards into residential waterfront developments, thereby reducing existing public access while demand increases...(read more here)
On Friday, July 29, 2005, Brevard County Commissioner Helen Voltz convened a “Locality Roundtable Forum” to discuss issues of marina siting and public access to waterways. Counties participating included: Brevard, Broward, Citrus, Collier, Duval, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Palm Beach, Sarasota, St Lucie, and Volusia. Others participating in the forum included: Canaveral Port Authority, City of Titusville, and University of Florida\IFAS\Extension. A round robin of important issues gave each county’s representative an opportunity to present cases or specific situations that reflect strengths and weaknesses concerning marina siting and public access in their county. Participants were asked to consider economic and environmental issues as well as ancillary impacts of zoning, water dependent uses and boating use patterns in their comments. County representatives presented recent examples, both successes and challenges, related to marina siting and public access to waterways...(click here for "white paper" in Adobe PDF format)
As part of 2006-2007 budget process, the Board of County Commissioners schedules several workshops for County agencies to present a review of their 2006-2007 budgets. The purpose of the workshops was to give the Board additional detailed information on current spending. The presentations focused on agency funding sources and revenues, program and service costs, priorities and goals, and internal/external issues affecting the departments. These presentation(s) are posted below.
2006-2007 Budget Workshops
Brevard County Budget Workshop - March 09, 2006 (PowerPoint .ppt format)
FLORIDA AVE EXTENSION (CLICK
HERE)
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download link.)
VIERA — Brevard County officials said an ordinance they passed Tuesday should be the engine to get freight trains moving through the Micco area.
The County Commission unanimously approved an ordinance requiring the railroad crossings at four streets in Micco not be blocked for more than five minutes. Micco resident Mike Cunningham and others have been lobbying the county the past few years to do something about the crossings often being blocked while one train switches tracks to allow another one to pass...(click here to read entire story)
February 8, 2006
County, trains at a crossroads
Paramedics often delayed at
crossings
BY KIMBERLY C. MOORE
FLORIDA TODAY
At 6 a.m. Jan. 3, Richard Pearson woke up and "thought an elephant was sitting on my chest." He had trouble breathing and believed he was having a heart attack, so his wife called for paramedics.
But his medical condition wasn't his only worry: Several times a day, trains block Barefoot Boulevard and Micco Road -- the two key routes to the hospital for the 10,000 residents in the state's largest mobile home community...(click here to read entire story)
DRAFT AGENDA REPORT AND ORDINANCE HERE
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download link.)
Fireworks Ordinance (Click Here)
The following is the written statement Commissioner Voltz delivered on November 22, 2005 when she accepted the position of County Commission Chairman:
It is a great honor to serve the people and to have the confidence of your peers to lead the county in the next year. Chairmanship of a county commission is a greatness that is truly humbling. September 6, 1943, at Harvard University, Winston Churchill orated, “The Price of Greatness is Responsibility.” He continued, “Let us rise to the full level of our duty and of our opportunity, and let us thank God for the spiritual rewards He has granted for all forms of valiant and faithful service.”
I would like to summarize some key platform points and recommendations for the next year. With the guidance and support of our maker, the commission body, county staff, and the people of Brevard: we can accomplish great things.
Transportation:
·
I do not support adding additional
tax burdens on the backs of Brevard County residents. Property taxes are high
and the local economy cannot afford a hike in the gas tax. That being said, we
do need to address the top priority in our community: transportation. So how do
we address the need for road expansion without raising property taxes or gas
taxes? Some believe the best way to fund transportation is by increasing the
existing impact fees on new homes. I do not believe this is a fair or plausible
solution to our revenue shortfall. Let me explain: transportation impact fees
discriminate against middle and low-income residents. No matter the size of the
house, the true impact, or your income: the fee is the same. Therefore, if a
family of six is building a 1 million dollar home, the fee is the same amount
paid as a family of three in a $200,000 home. That is a regressive tax and
discriminates. Secondly, we cannot bond funding for new roads with impact
fees. This means that we cannot effectively resolve immediate transportation
needs.
Third, impact fee expenditures are limited to the general area in which they are
collected: creating a disparity from commission district to commission
district. Finally, impact fees are non-recurring and are contingent on a
fluctuating housing industry.
Failures of recent referendums for bonding or a sales tax are clear indicators
that the people do not believe that their local government is spending existing
revenue appropriately.
We cannot wait for future commissions to act on this issue, so…
I propose through the budget process that this Commission make transportation a
primary factor when appropriating funding. I will be addressing the budget here
shortly.
Moreover, if the great people of Brevard County assess this issue as a top
priority, the people should have the right to express their position through the
democratic process. The commission body may consider a 2006 referendum
for a sales tax specifically for and restricted to road construction with a
termination date. Should the commission decide to go to referendum, it should
take place during the Gubernatorial, Congressional, and County-wide election to
ensure a proper sample of the populous. Surely, this referendum would have the
same fate as previous polls if Brevardians do not believe we are spending their
money properly. Government requires the consent of the people and a referendum
would be a clear mandate on this issue.
Budget:
·
In 1825, Thomas Jefferson wrote,
“Never spend your money before you have it.” Too many times, we look to
quarterly budget updates for budget surpluses. There are many variables and
unknowns when forecasting budget surpluses: hurricanes, market volatility,
tourism’s cyclical paradigm, and fuel costs, to name a few. On July 26th,
2005, Florida Today revealed an online poll, which contained multiple choice
questions, and showed that half of the citizens of Brevard want a tax break with
transportation a strong second. How can we give a tax break and increase
transportation appropriations at the end of a fiscal year if we are pre-spending
any adjusted revenue?
Accountability, Accountability, Accountability. Saying there is fat in the
budget is a subjective observation. What is fat to one person may be a
legitimate expense to others. To define an appropriation: an appropriation is
an increase or decrease of public funds for a specific purpose. I encourage any
commissioner who believes there are unnecessary expenditures in a department’s
budget to meet with the County Manager and that department head
to review their budget. We need to ensure that we are properly appropriating
funds to the most important needs of our community and communicating the true
nature of our budget.
Agenda and meeting procedures:
·
The County Commission meetings
should run smoothly, have a decorum of respectful debate, and each commissioner
should make it a priority to effectively participate.
Agendas should be complete and downloaded on Fridays before the Tuesday
meeting. No changes should be made to the final downloaded agenda. If it an
item MUST be added, please give to Peggy, Scott, or a commissioner to have the
item addressed under their report. Commissioner’s reports should be moved to
the end of the agenda. Presentations lasting longer than 5 minutes should be at
the end of the meeting, as well. We are here to do business first. The consent
agenda would be next. If you wish to pull something off, please give that
information to Peggy and she will pull all items. Any item that is pulled,
whether by a commissioner or the general public, will be heard immediately after
the consent passes. After consent, the first of two public comment sections of
the agenda should be considered. The first public comment opportunity has a 15
minute limit and is to address issues NOT on the subsequent agenda. At the end
of the meeting, another unrestricted public comment section will be available
for the general public to have a greater opportunity to elaborate and explain
their issues.
There should be NO time-certains in the mornings except in special
circumstances. Time-certains should be in the afternoon.
Decorum is important for the reputation of this body and our fellow citizens.
Remember, we are aired on television. Everyone in the commission chambers is
expected to act in a considerate and respectful manner, even when you disagree
with the comments others may make. Moreover, if a member of the public
unfoundedly accuses an individual staff member of malfeasance, your indictment
will be carefully scrutinized.
If a commissioner consistently leaves the meetings for more than a few moments
for the restroom or a beverage, the meeting will be recessed till the vacated
commissioner returns. It is recommended that all commissioners receive staff
briefings before the meeting to ensure we are prepared for as many agenda items
as possible. Too many items are tabled because of minor questions that could
have been addressed prior to meeting.
We are here to do the business of the people as a team.
Economic Development and Smart Growth:
·
We all know the beauty of Brevard
County. We appreciate and enjoy a high quality-of-life. While our county was
discovering other worlds in outer space, the world we live in has discovered
us. We are a rapidly growing community. Planning and Zoning has become a key
component to our government responsibility. It is imperative that we balance
our natural resources with property rights. The community has supported a
conservation program and we will follow through on their wishes. There are many
who want to come and enjoy our way of life and we must balance hospitality with
growth management. We must readjust our understanding of development and our
economy. We must be objective about growth principals and embrace innovative
ideas for economic development. On November 10th, 2003, First Lady
Laura Bush expressed the benefits of the arts and preservation to improve the
quality-of-life and enhance economic development. The First Lady stated a goal
of a community is, “using its past to build a better future... provide more
opportunities for preservation while increasing heritage tourism and economic
development.”
She continued, “Our open spaces are sanctuaries for learning and reflection.”
As the job market evolves in our community, we must appreciate the need for
cultural arts and parks to attract high paying positions and clean industry.
Economic Development is a vital component for funding public services from
public safety to beach restoration. We should work together with developers to
ensure that they pay their fair share of the infrastructure. This is a journey
that will lead us to a future our children and grandchildren can enjoy.
To summarize:
As a county, we have much to look forward to in the next year. Transportation, the budget, government accountability, economic development, and smart growth are key issues to address. Thank you again for the opportunity to serve as your chair and God bless us all.
Brevard County Emergency Management Online
Residents with questions can call the EOC Citizen Hotline at 211 or (321) 632-6688 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
|
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The following speech, by Earthy Spaulding, delivered at the Brevard County Commission Meeting on August 23rd, 2005 was/is extremely moving. The speech is provided here so that you may empathize with this important issue:
Good Morning, I am Earthy Spaulding, CEO of ComeUNITY, your community-based prevention and community development organization.
On this day in the year 2005, we come to honor and we come to remember the event that was to be the jump-start of the Civil Rights Era. This was the Era that struggled for equal access to quality education, public facilities, adequate employment and decent housing for African Americans and all people. We come to commemorate a tragedy that lead to many historic civil and human rights successes. On this day we are pleased to accept the proclamation that August 28 is Emmett Till Day.
Although histories of the Civil Rights Movement skip over the importance of the Emmett Till case, the event did much to dramatize a new era of demands in the United States.
Emmett Till was a 14-year-old boy from the big city of Chicago, visiting family in the small town of Money, Mississippi for the summer school vacation. He was said to studder when he spoke, so his mother taught him to whistle as a technique to avoid this speech impediment. He was brutally lynched for the crime of speaking to or whistling at a white woman on August 28, 1955, 50 years ago.
To put this in a historical prospective, that was August 28 and on December 1 of the same year (1955), three months and three days later, Mrs. Rosa Parks, refused to give up her seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama and was arrested. This set off a series of events that generated momentum the civil rights movement had never before experienced. It is not widely known that Mrs. Parks was acutely aware of the Emmett Till story, as she was a member and the Secretary of the local NAACP. You see, the NAACP, labor unions, black churches, and other organizations sponsored numerous speaking engagements of Mamie Bradley, Emmett’s mother, to tell his story in Mississippi, Alabama, Illinois and other states.
The milestones that followed include:
In 1957, the bravery of the Little Rock Nine - who desegregated Central High School. The Arkansas governor ordered the Arkansas National Guard to preserve order, a euphemism for keeping the nine prospective African American students out. However, on September 25, 1957, President Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas National Guard and deployed paratroopers to carry out the desegregation orders of the federal courts.
In 1960 four freshmen from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro strolled into the F. W. Woolworth store and quietly sat down at the lunch counter. They were not served, but they stayed until closing time. The next morning they came with twenty-five more students. Two weeks later similar demonstrations had spread to several cities, within a year similar peaceful demonstrations took place in over a hundred cities North and South.
In 1962, James Meredith entering the University of Mississippi - In September 1962, a federal court ordered the University of Mississippi to accept James Meredith, a twenty-eight-year-old Air Force Veteran. The Governor said he would never allow the school to be integrated. After days of violence and rioting by whites, Meredith, accompanied by federal officials, enrolled on October 1, 1962. And in 1966 James Meredith began a 220-mile "March Against Fear" from Memphis, Tennessee, to Jackson, Mississippi. He hoped to demonstrate a positive change in the racial climate, but he was shot soon after he commenced the march. Civil rights leaders rallied to the cause and came to continue the march from the point at which Meredith fell.
In 1963, the March on Washington - Eight years to the day after the lynching of Emmett Till, August 28, 1963, the March on Washington riveted the Nation’s attention. Blacks and whites, side by side, called on President Kennedy and the Congress to provide equal access to public facilities, quality education, adequate employment, and decent housing. During the assembly at the Lincoln Memorial, the young preacher who had led the successful Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott, Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered a stirring message of "I Have a Dream."
There was the passage of the weak Civil Rights Act of 1957, the more forceful Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Then in 1968, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title VIII, also known as the Fair Housing Act, into law. Together these Acts reinstated and reinvigorated the right of minorities to full citizenship.
In the 1960s "We Shall Overcome" became the anthem of the civil rights movement. And all is not yet done. So I say with gratitude and conviction to all the heroes and herons, sung and unsung, that passed this way before me, and I extend the hand of warm appreciation to this body for saying… we shall for the sake of all people continue to overcome. We have no choice because the truth is “all are our relations.”
Giving special mention to Commissioner Colon and her staff for bringing this important event to the Board, and to Evelyn Morrision for organizing this effort. And on behalf of the Chairman of the Board of ComeUNITY, Mr. Donald Barber, and all our Board members, on behalf of the churches and organizations that will be commemorating Emmett Till Sunday this year, on behalf of everyone who was able to join us here today and those who were not ...I say to you... THANK YOU.
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October-November, 2005 Press Release sent to the Barefoot Bay Tattler:
A Message From Your Commissioner
Most of you may know by now, but the landowner requesting a zoning change to the
760-acre Micco Farm & Grove property has withdrawn his application from the
County. In turn, the property owner has applied for annexation into the city of
Palm Bay. This means the County will no longer have any control over the
development. Density, design criteria, etc. now will all be decided by Palm Bay.
In addition, the developer will no longer be required to make improvements to
Micco Road.
As many of you know, we had been working diligently to create a “Master Plan”
for the south mainland part of Brevard. Since this 760-acre parcel and adjoining
western properties (all also annexing into Palm Bay) made up a significant
portion of the developable land in the master plan area, the plan has currently
been put on hiatus. Further hindering our efforts, the Grant/Valkaria
Incorporation Committee stated on record that if they incorporate, they do not
want to participate in the master plan, which would remove even more developable
land from the plan area. Additionally, we would need to come up with a funding
source if we wanted to continue working with Brevard Tomorrow. I would like to
thank all of you who participated in the master plan process and want to ensure
you that this process has not been in vain. I have learned a great deal about
the wants and needs of the residents in the south mainland area and will use
this knowledge in all future decisions affecting the area.
In related zoning news, the re-zoning request of the 29-acre Rushing Wind
property south of Micco Road was granted at the November 3rd Planning and Zoning
meeting. This property was re-zoned from AU (Agricultural Residential) to RR-1
(Rural Residential). The owner plans to build 20 homes on the 29-acre site.
Relief from the railroad tracks may be on its way. The County is conducting a
30-day study that would be used to legally justify creating an ordinance that
would limit the amount of time intersections could be blocked by trains. This
study is expected to be completed by the end of November / beginning of
December. Hopefully, this study will prove what we all already know, that
blocking the roads for an extended period of time is a serious safety hazard. If
it does, we can then begin the process of creating a new ordinance.
Some quick notes regarding the Crystal Bay Development:
• The official name is Crystal Bay Sebastian Beach & Tennis Club
• There will be 533 lots
• The lots will be rental – they will NOT be selling the lots
• This will be an age 55+ community
• The fence along the perimeter will be completely rebuilt (may be complete by
the time you read this)
• They will begin pre-selling in January and hope to have occupants by the
spring
• There is a 56 acre conservation area on the property
• You can obtain a copy of the site plan by calling our office toll-free at
(321) 952-4601
Finally, I hope you all have a very Happy Thanksgiving and I would like to
extend an invitation to our Holiday Open House at the District 3 office on
December 14th from 11 am to 2 pm. Please call our office with any
questions/comments you may have - we now have a toll-free phone number (321)
952-4601.
Sincerely,
Helen Voltz
www.mycommissiondistrict3.com
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August 12th, 2005 Press Release sent to the Barefoot Bay Tattler:
A Message From Commissioner Voltz
I would like to acknowledge the results of the recent straw ballot held in
Barefoot Bay regarding development on Micco Road. For those who don’t know, the
Barefoot Bay Homeowners Association sent out a ballot asking if the development
along Micco Road should be postponed until a Master Plan is completed. Nearly
5,000 people voted “Yes”. Therefore, at the August Planning and Zoning Meeting I
tabled all items in that area until October 6th. By that time, the “backbone” of
the Master Plan will be complete. On August 15th, we held the 2nd of 3 meetings
regarding the Master Plan for South Mainland Brevard. The third and final
meeting is scheduled for September 19th at 6:30 PM at the South Mainland
Community Center. Please attend and allow your voice to be heard.
I would also like to touch on the now infamous 760-acre parcel on Micco Road.
While there are many rumors going around, there are really two probable
scenarios. The first one is what the applicant is seeking – 1 unit per 1.4
acres, with a maximum of 595 homes built out over the next 5-8 years. If that
zoning passes, the developer will be required to widen Micco Road east of the
railroad tracks and add an additional left turn lane on U.S. 1 to turn west onto
Micco Road. They will also have to rebuild Micco Road along the front of their
property, as well as “softening” those dangerous curves on Micco. The County
will begin construction this fall on Micco Road from Dottie Drive to the
railroad tracks (regardless of the zoning outcome, this will happen).
I would think that the second scenario is not one that anyone would want, but I
would like to hear from you on this one. If the first scenario is turned down,
and I have no problem doing that if that is what the majority of the community
wants me to do, the developer is left with only one other viable option. That
would be to annex into the city of Palm Bay. If they annex into Palm Bay, the
city would provide water, which would be very expensive to install. The density
of the development would have to go up in order for it to be cost effective.
While the property is not currently abutting Palm Bay, decisions are currently
being made by other landowners in that direction which would make it easier for
the developer to annex into Palm Bay. One more thing you need to know, if this
property were annexed into Palm Bay, the improvements to Micco Road would NOT be
required.
I want to be sure that everyone has all the information necessary to make an
informed decision. Together we will make the best decision for South Mainland
Brevard.
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June 10th, 2005 Press Release sent to the Barefoot Bay Tattler:
One of, if not THE most important issue regarding South Brevard County is the unprecedented growth the area is experiencing. Nobody wants to see Brevard turn into South Florida, which has become a sea of condominiums, apartment
