The city manager tells commissioners that the March 9 vote will shape the future of the police force and other projects.
By CHASE SQUIRES
Published January 14, 2004
DADE CITY - The outcome of a public vote in March on a proposed countywide sales tax increase could shape the future of Dade City's police force, City Manager Harold Sample said Tuesday evening.
Caught in a financial crunch last summer, and faced with a stagnant tax base and mounting costs, city commissioners were considering eliminating the city's fire and police departments. After weeks of wrangling, budget crunching and public meetings, commissioners hired Pasco County to take over firefighting, but preserved a slimmed police force.
But that wasn't the end. Sample warned at the time that the feasibility of the Police Department needed more study. On Tuesday evening, he said his plans for the future rely on the outcome of the March 9 referendum on a proposed sales tax increase, dubbed by supporters "Penny for Pasco."
The proposal calls for a 16 percent increase, from 6 cents on the dollar to 7 cents.
Sample said he has been discussing costs and benefits with police Chief Phil Thompson, and Sample said he wants to preserve the department. But, Sample told commissioners, he can't bring recommendations to the board until after the March vote.
"I'm not going to say the Police Department rises or falls on the outcome of that election. I'm saying a whole lot in the city rises and falls on that," Sample said. "So much of the direction we're going to be taken is going to be dictated by something out of our control."
The sales tax increase would be expected to generate about $30-million a year, with all but 10 percent of that going to schools and the county government. The remainder would be divided, according to population, to the cities. Dade City is expected to collect about $495,000 a year.
Dade City officials expect to use that money on matching grants for sewer improvements, water line expansions, paving, new police car and radio purchases and other capital improvement projects.
Thompson said the defeat of the sales tax increase would not necessarily spell the end to his department.
Mayor Scott Black said the tax hike is needed to cover capital costs that the city must spend. None of the proposed capital projects are luxuries, he said.
In other business Tuesday evening, Sample and City Attorney Karla Owens said they foresee no danger of conflicting interests as Owens prepares to accept a permanent position as the part-time city attorney for Zephyrhills.
Owens is a full-time Dade City employee, doing both legal and municipal planning work.
The two cities share many common interests, and no foreseeable differences, Sample said.
Sample said under the proposal being negotiated, Zephyrhills would reimburse Dade City for about 10 percent of Owens' annual $60,000 salary for work she does for that city on Dade City time.
In addition, Owens would work on her own time to cover Zephyrhills meetings. She has been working on a temporary basis for $75 an hour since August after former Zephyrhills attorney Thomas McAlvanah became ill and later died.
