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Liveaboard lifestyle getting more expensive

Some boaters will give up their waterborne homes after all but one city commissioner supported sharp fee increases.

By SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA
Published September 18, 2005

MADEIRA BEACH - Despite pleas that they were destroying lives and lifestyles, the City Commission refused to budge Wednesday as it sharply raised marina slip fees for people who live on board their boats.

The commission also raised rates for many city services and rejected an effort by several commissioners to slightly reduce next year's property tax rate.

As a result of the new marina fees, at least four of the Madeira Beach Marina's nine "liveaboards" plan to leave, either to other area marinas or to more conventional land-based accommodations.

R.J. Linburg, a disabled Vietnam veteran on limited income, decided to sell his boat on eBay, took less than half the amount he paid for it, and is planning to move into a mobile home.

"That's risky, too," says Linburg, who is aware many mobile home parks are being sold for redevelopment. "I won't get one near the water, so maybe it won't be as attractive to developers."

Linburg's choices are limited. He has a large dog, a cat and a bird he won't give up. He also has to find a mobile home park that is reasonably close to the VA Medical Center at Bay Pines, where he goes regularly for medical checkups and treatments.

"My dream has gone down the tubes," says Linburg. "Those people on the commission just don't care. They live in their own little world and seem to forget about the human aspect of things," says Linburg.

At least one city commissioner agrees, but his repeated efforts to get his colleagues to change their minds Wednesday were ignored.

"We're being a little unfair on the marina fees," said Commissioner John Wolbert.

Last summer during its budget discussions, the commission changed an administrative proposal to increase all marina slip fees by hiking liveaboard fees by about 60 percent, arguing that people who lived on their boats used more electricity and services than regular slip renters.

"To say we're not paying our way is ridiculous," said Jim Stratton, who lives on his 40-foot boat at the marina. "Twenty percent is reasonable, but 67 percent is not fair. It's discriminatory. All I want to do is pay my fair share, not get nailed."

Jim Caviness said all the people living on their boats at the marina "are very upset about the disparity of the rate increase."

Noting that liveaboards already pay higher fees to cover electric and other costs, Wolbert had suggested that all fees be raised 20 percent across-the-board instead of putting the "burden" of the increases on people living on their boats.

His motion was greeted with silence from the rest of the commission.

"Well, the motion fails for lack of a second," said Mayor Charles Parker.

Bill Henning, who has lived on his boat for the past seven years, sharply criticized the commission. "We are voters, citizens. We live here. Thanks a lot, guys," he said as the commission refused a second time to reconsider the new fee schedule.

The only direct comment to the marina residents came from Commissioner Martha Boos, who led the drive to increase the liveaboard rates.

"You really needed to be at our budget meetings in July. That's when our decisions are made," she told the marina residents.

The same new rate schedule discussed during those summer workshops and formally approved Wednesday included sometimes sharp increases in other fees charged residents for everything from recreational programs to garbage collection.

Beginning Oct. 1, most residents will pay $2 more a month for garbage collection (an 11 percent increase), $3 more a month for stormwater utility fees (a 150 percent increase), and $4.46 more a month for sewer fees (a 50 percent increase). Recreational program fees were raised slightly for nonresidents.

City Manager Jill Silverboard said the service fee increases were imposed primarily to ensure that the funds "operate like a business" and not run at a loss.

Boos was unsuccessful in her push to reduce property taxes by $19,000.

The commission earlier had cut the tax rate from 2.2 mills to 2.15 mills ($215 for every $100,000 in taxable assessed property value).

"The city is getting $391,000 more in property tax revenues this year. This is a tremendous increase. We can afford to reduce the millage a little more," Boos said. "It's not a lot but at least its going in the right direction."

Only Commissioner Art Thomas supported her proposal, arguing "This ship needs tightening."

Other commissioners and the city manager argued that the proposed millage rate represented a $47,000 cut in property tax revenues.

"I'd like to see the tax rate down to 1.6 mills, but we have to take it down in baby steps," said Wolbert, noting that expenses increase every year.

In other action, the commission tentatively approved next year's $5.2-million operating budget ($11-million when including special funds), but cut planned merit pay increases for supervisory personnel.

The action was partly in anticipation of arguments that will be made at an upcoming impasse hearing with the union representing most city employees.

Last month, the union broke off salary negotiations, arguing that the city unfairly proposed giving other employees much higher raises.

[Last modified September 18, 2005, 02:15:36]