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Before doling out tax breaks, take care of existing needs
A Times Editorial
Published July 9, 2006
The rush for feel-good legislation is reaching into Pasco County as county government staffers are investigating a potential property tax break for the families of military personnel serving in combat. On its surface, the plan is noncontroversial and indeed a friendly benefit to help ease the financial burden on men and women in the military. The timing is conspicuous, however, coming just days after Pasco County's Utilities Department earned front-page coverage for its unsympathetic response to the family of U.S. Army Sgt. Christopher Kawalec, who disputed a $228 monthly water bill supposedly accumulated while Kawalec served in Afghanistan. More importantly, commissioners shouldn't be in a hurry to bless this proposal before they know the bottom line. Commissioner Pat Mulieri indicated a willingness to grant the tax break even if it cost the county up to $150,000. How times have changed. That is the kind of money commissioners used to knock heads with constitutional officers over, considering it's nearly enough to hire and outfit two entry-level deputies. Mulieri forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget a list of 728 names of active duty personnel living in Pasco's 27 ZIP codes. The data didn't indicate whether all the names are Pasco property owners or if they are assigned to combat zones. Commissioner Ann Hildebrand previously embraced the idea, which has been adopted in varying forms in seven counties. In Hernando, for instance, active duty personnel in a combat zone can apply for up to a $1,000 rebate of their county property tax obligation. It does not apply to school, municipal, or other government agency tax levies. Hillsborough County doesn't limit the refund to $1,000, instead waiving all county property taxes. Public response mirrors the proximity of military bases. Last year, the combined city/county government in Jacksonville adopted a rebate of 2004 property taxes of up to $2,000 and saw its $300,000 allocation exhausted in two months. The city is home to two major naval installations. In Hernando, however, only 16 people applied for the rebate. An ordinance here would provide practical assistance to families of service personnel, but commissioners also must balance it with other needs. The list is long: Sheriff Bob White wants a 19 percent budget increase. The county just abandoned plans to expand the Hugh Embry Library in Dade City because of costs and twice the county asked for $400,000 from the state to get started on a library in Trinity. The price of a planned jail expansion is $5-million higher than budgeted. The county's Economic Development Council budget is lower than similarly sized counties in Florida. Meanwhile, social service groups are seeking a 211 emergency help line. Commissioners Steve Simon and Ted Schrader did not embrace the property tax break for military personnel exclusively, saying property owners across the board should share in any government windfall. It's a valid contention, but this debate needs to wait until the nuts-and-bolts review of the proposed county budget, which is scheduled to be released Tuesday. It's great to want to lower the property tax rate in light of booming tax rolls, but paying for pressing county needs should be the first priority.
[Last modified July 9, 2006, 06:02:27]
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