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Briefs

Tarpon gives budget preliminary okay

By Times Staff Writer
Published September 3, 2005

TARPON SPRINGS - City commissioners voted 4-1 this week to preliminarily approve their city budget for next year and a property tax rate of 4.95 mills, or $4.95 in city property taxes for every $1,000 of assessed, nonexempt property value.

Commissioner Peter Dalacos voted no, saying the budget could be tightened and tax rate lowered. The 2005-06 budget increased by 7.27 percent over last year's plan, mainly because of jumps in personnel and operating expenses for city services. The property tax rate is an increase of 11.86 percent above the rolled-back rate of 4.42 mills. That is the rate the city would have to adopt to collect the same amount of property taxes as this year. For a city resident who owns a home assessed at the city's average taxable value of $119,250 and has a $25,000 homestead exemption, the proposed rate would mean a city tax bill of about $467. That hypothetical tax bill does not include taxes levied by Pinellas County, the School Board or other governmental agencies. A final public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 19.

[Last modified September 3, 2005, 01:20:24]