Mayors urge legislators to reject fire tax changes
Four beach leaders want no charter tinkering until after a study is done of the Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District.
By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published September 4, 2005
BELLEAIR BEACH - Mayors of four beach communities drafted a resolution Wednesday that, if passed by their respective commissions, will call on the Pinellas County legislative delegation to reject any change in how their residents are taxed for fire service.
The mayors of Belleair Beach, Belleair Shore, Indian Rocks Beach and Indian Shores want an independent consultant's study of the Pinellas Suncoast Fire & Rescue District operations and finances to be completed before any decisions are made on a new taxing structure.
The district is considering asking the legislative delegation to sponsor a bill in the next legislative session that would change the fire district's charter to allow fire tax increases without seeking voter approval.
Presently, any increase must be approved by the voters in the district, which includes the four towns as well as a large area on the mainland south of Walsingham Road.
The district charges a $190 flat rate annually for all homeowners. It has considered cost of living adjustments, switching to property taxes that would automatically increase as property values rise, and a rate based on square footage.
District officials say they need more money to continue offering fire fighting services. Without it, they say, the district will be bankrupt within two years.
"We want the status quo until after the study," said Belleair Beach Mayor Rudy Davis, who, with the other mayors, says the district mismanaged its money over the past few years.
Bill Ockunzzi, mayor of Indian Rocks Beach, said the towns are "representing the wishes of their residents" who by a 75 percent margin defeated a proposal last year that would have changed the fire district's taxing structure.
"This is what our voters wanted as we would be wrong to support them," said Indian Shores Mayor Don Taber.
The draft resolution language, as proposed by Belleair Shore Mayor John Robertson, states the opposition of the towns to any change in the fire district charter until after the study is completed and reviewed by the members of a special fire district oversight committee. Pinellas County is also a member of the committee and is funding the study.
The proposed resolution also says the district "has not sought input from its constituent communities" for a charter change.
The state-created charter establishes the fire district as an independent political unit that is answerable only to voters, not to the elected officials of the towns comprising the district.
"They want to run their district entirely on their own. This makes it very difficult to communicate," said Taber.
Complicating communications between the district and its member towns is a lawsuit filed against the district by Indian Rocks Beach residents, including several of its commissioners. The lawsuit challenges a fee increase that was approved by voters two years ago.
"We're trying to get these folks to the table to talk to us," said Ockunzzi.
Fire officials say they don't "trust" the beach town officials.
