Council to set assessments, fees and property tax cap
Wednesday’s regular meeting of the Cape Coral City Council promises to be one of the most important of the year — the elected board will set the not-to-exceed millage as well as fees and assessments for the 2023 fiscal year.
Setting the tentative property tax rate, with the council split, will likely be front and center when the resolution is brought forward toward the end of the public hearing portion of the meeting.
During last week’s budget workshop, City Manager Rob Hernandez recommended a millage rate of 5.5568, which is slightly higher than the rollback rate, and has recommended council set the not-to-exceed millage at the current 6.25 mills.
One mill equals $1 dollar for every $1,000 in taxable property value. The rate cannot be increased once set, only lowered as the city moves toward final approval.
Capping at the current rate gives council greater flexibility heading into first public hearing on the budget set fo Thursday, Sept. 8, at 5:05 p.m. in council chambers.
The final public hearing is set for Thursday, Sept. 22, at 5:05 p.m.
Mayor John Gunter and some on council want to see the millage brought to the rollback rate of 5.3694, with the mayor expressing frustration over not seeing a proposed budget that reflects that rate.
At the rollback rate — the rate at which the impact on existing homesteaded properties would be flat — the city would see an overall increase of $6,775,561 due largely to new construction and higher taxable valuations. At the staff-proposed 5.5568 rate, property taxes would bring in an increase $10,861,595, according to the budget workshop presentation.
The tax rate to repay the voter-approved GO Bond for city parks will remain at the current rate of 0.0471 mills.
The city proposed operations, or General Fund, budget is $250,523,785.
Council will also set the annual lot-mowing assessment for a standard 10,000 square-foot parcel. It will be an increase of $1.58 in districts 1 and 2 and of $1.56 in districts 3 and 4.
The preliminary solid waste assessment will present council with two options — one with a 1 percent increase contractually guaranteed to Waste Pro, the other with the 1 percent plus 8.32 percent requested by Waste Pro to account for inflation.
The first option would cost residents $248.50, with the other costing $260.87 per dwelling unit. Last year’s assessment was $220.72.
Council will also set the city’s Fire Service Assessment at a 62 percent recovery rate and consider a request to increase the stormwater fee from $130 to $135 for next fiscal year.
The fees, rates and assessments then will again be considered after a public hearing on Aug. 31 and adopted. Those fees can then still be reduced, but not increased.
Also on Wednesday Council will consider a resolution to approve additional staffing in Development Services.
The city is looking to hire 26 regular fulltime positions to be paid for by the building fund, including 10 customer service representatives, six building inspectors, six plan examiners, a customer service supervisor, two plan review technicians and one assistant building official.
As an addendum, the Council also will discuss the proposed development of the Academic Village.
The meeting will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
To reach CHUCK BALLARO, please email news@breezenewspapers.com