Special report
 The surrogate
It begins with a woman who yearns for a baby and another who is willing and able to give her one. You can imagine the motives of the prospective parents. But what about the woman willing to carry a baby, give birth and then walk away?- More special reports
Video report
 Friday Night Rewind
It doesn't matter which team you cheer for. We've got video previews of every high school football program in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando County.- More video reports
|
Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Clearwater residents get bit of relief
The mayor says the city will create a "citizens task force" to examine the budget for ways to save taxpayers' money.
By MIKE DONILA
Published September 22, 2006
CLEARWATER — Besieged by taxpayers, the Clearwater City Council late Thursday night agreed to cut proposed spending by about $2-million and lower the city’s property tax rate slightly.
The City Council lowered the tax rate from 5.753 to 5.2088 mills — a little below what officials had planned going into their final public hearing Thursday night. Still, the reduction was about twice as big as they had discussed in previous weeks.
A homeowner whose home has a taxable value of $143,000 would have paid $822.68 in city taxes if the tax rate had stayed at 5.753 mills.
Under the new rate, the same homeowner’s city taxes will be $744.86, a savings of $77.82.
The decision followed a public hearing during which residents questioned who city leaders they really represented and why they couldn’t cut taxes more.
Mike Riordon, a 12-year resident, expressed dismay at a proposal he called a “$1.7-million token cut” from the city’s overall proposed $399-million spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year.
“Why don’t you think anyone believes you? I don’t,” Riordon said to loud applause from the audience of about 60 residents.
After the lengthy public comment period was finished, Mayor Frank Hibbard said, “we’re hearing it loud and clear … I understand people are hurting.”
The mayor said the city would create a “citizens task force” that would begin “immediately” to find ways to cut the budget.
At least 20 people who spoke last night offered a number of ways to make cuts.
Joe Page said the city should close library branches, sell the baseball stadium and stop funding projects such as public art. Others suggested the city should cut the labor force and implement across-the-board cuts.
“That’s the only fair way to do it,” said Anne Garris,” a longtime critic of many of the city council’s initiatives.
Hibbard had his own ideas, such as reducing library hours, selling some city-owned facilities and doing fewer beautification projects.
The council was considering a budget that included a second cut to the city’s millage rate.
The city initially proposed lowering the millage rate from 5.75 to 5.42. But after several earlier marathon meetings, where residents pleaded with city officials to make more cuts in the budget, council members lowered it further to 5.25 mills.
The fiscal 2006-07 spending plan approved Thursday night will kick in Oct. 1. City leaders had said they planned to begin meeting with residents shortly after to look for ways to continue the cuts for the following year’s budget.
[Last modified September 22, 2006, 12:16:03]
Share your thoughts on this story
|
Subscribe to the Times
Click here for daily delivery
of the St. Petersburg Times.
|
News
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
