County Tax Rate Same As Last Year $3.65

http://www.lee-county.com/spotlight/goals/Pages/8312010.aspx

http://www.news-press.com/article/20100901/NEWS01/9010409/1002/NEWS01/The-line-is-held-on-Lee-County-tax-rate-

The number on your tax notice that goes to funding county government next year will drop 15 percent.

County leaders Tuesday indicated they’ll keep the tax rate the same next year despite declining property values. The $3.65 rate is 63 cents lower than the figure that appeared on tax notices mailed last month.

While the approach may bolster weary taxpayers, it does nothing to deal with the county’s deficit.

Lee County next year expects to spend $60 million to $65 million more on government operations next year than it brings in.

County leaders say they’ll plug the gap with dollars built up during the boom years. Unless the county makes substantial changes to the tax rate or the services it provides, the reserves will run out in 2 to 3 years. The county has another workshop and two public hearings before a final vote on the budget Sept. 23. The new spending plan takes effect Oct. 1.

“We can sit here and politic all day, and it’s driving me crazy,” commission Chairwoman Tammy Hall said during Tuesday’s budget workshop. “What we need to do now is govern. … When are you willing to bite the bullet?”

The county’s tax rate amounts to about a quarter of an average tax bill. School, library, municipal and fire district taxes make up the rest of the bill.

“We’re still in a recession,” Commissioner John Manning said Tuesday. “I don’t know what else to do other than say you (county staff) need to hold the line (on the tax rate).”

Commissioners on Tuesday agreed to about $5.3 million in cuts to next year’s $383 million operating budget. Those cuts include reductions to the sheriff’s budget, to county bus services and a change in scheduling for county paramedics.

Assistant County Manager Peter Winton told commissioners he also expects departments to undershoot this year’s budget by several million.

That takes a bite from next year’s $71 million deficit but leaves a hole and no plan to fill it.

“We’re not reducing near enough to keep us from running out of money in three years,” Commissioner Frank Mann said.