Budget plan increases property tax rate

If the budget is approved as proposed, the owner of a $100,000 house with a homestead exemption would pay an additional $78.45 in taxes.

By ALISA ULFERTS

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 12, 2000

DADE CITY -- It's a mammoth document that sums up close to a half-billion dollars and could raise property taxes to their highest level since 1996.

It's next year's Pasco County budget.

County officials on Tuesday released copies of the $478,386,504 budget, which includes healthy raises for county staffers, plus more money for libraries, parks, Fire Rescue and other departments. Commissioners will approve the final budget in September.

For the owner of a $100,000 house with a homestead exemption, next year's budget will mean another $78.45 in taxes. The total tax bill on that house would be $721.20, the highest bill since 1996. But commissioners warned Tuesday that the proposed property tax rate, 9.616 mills, is just the starting point and that the figure likely will be lowered somewhat before final approval of the budget. A mill is $1 per $1,000 of taxable property value.

Even if the proposed tax rate is slightly lowered, however, the overall proposed budget is 11.4 percent higher than the current year's budget. County officials say much of the increase is due largely to additions in Sheriff Lee Cannon's office and other county departments.

One department that scored well is Growth Management, which is getting eight new staffers if commissioners approve the budget.

County Administrator John Gallagher said he put those positions in the budget "to recognize the accelerated pace of development that we have experienced over the past few years."

Commission Chairwoman Pat Mulieri said it was time that Growth Management Administrator Sam Steffey, "who works very diligently" got some help.

Also, sheriff's employees and county employees will receive pay increases as the county begins administering the recommendations it received after a pay classification study. County pay scales at both the top and bottom levels will be adjusted, and employees in the middle of the range will see an annual increase of about $1,500, Gallagher said.

Commissioners seem likely to approve that increase as well.

"If we increase their pay, yes it may increase our property taxes," Commissioner Ann Hildebrand said.

"But I think it's an investment in our future."

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