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City won't roll back tax rate

By LORRI HELFAND
Published September 23, 2006

LARGO - Largo has bypassed some of the drama seen in other municipalities around Florida as it created its budget for next year.

Droves of residents didn't swamp City Hall Thursday night to plead for lower taxes.

But a handful of residents did show up to ask city commissioners to give them a break.

After extensive discussion, commissioners voted 5-2 to maintain the current rate of $4.28 per $1,000 of taxable value, which is 16.9 percent over the rollback rate of $3.66. They plan to keep the rate the same next year, too.

They said they didn't want to dip into reserves or cut the $130.6-million budget, which was adopted Thursday, to give residents what would amount to minor relief.

Supported by Commissioner Rodney Woods, Commissioner Mary Gray Black proposed lowering the rate to $3.70 per $1,000 of taxable value. But that option had no support from other commissioners.

Five residents asked commissioners to cut the tax rate.

Mariam J. Kinslow said she wouldn't be able to afford a bigger tax bill, with rising insurance and mortgage rates.

"If it goes up then I'm going to have to sell my house, and it's the first home I've ever owned," Kinslow said.

Activist Curtis Holmes said if city officials didn't lower the tax rate, a couple of commissioners would not be re-elected and City Manager Steve Stanton would lose his job.

Commissioner Gay Gentry said she sympathized with those who own rental properties, but she wouldn't be swayed by threats.

"I can assure that since I took this seat I have never predicated my vote on any issue on whether or not I was going to get a vote the next time I was up for election. If that were the case, I would not be worth voting for," she said.

A few residents urged officials to keep the rate proposed to avoid cutting city programs and services.

Mayor Pat Gerard reminded residents that the city had a relatively low millage rate and rolled back taxes last year.

"We took money out of reserves to balance the budget then," she said. "We can't do that year after year."

Lorri Helfand can be reached at 445-4155 or lorri@sptimes.com.

[Last modified September 23, 2006, 06:46:21]