ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The consolidation of the three Anna Maria Island cities appears unlikely according to a consolidation study-related letter sent to the three Island mayors last week from State Rep. Will Robinson Jr. and Sen. Jim Boyd.
“The OPPAGA study confirms what we have discussed over the past year,” the letter says. “Merging or eliminating cities could negatively impact the unique and special character of the Island and could have a detrimental impact on issues like building height. The lower height of buildings on the Island must be valued and maintained at all costs. Anna Maria Island must never become a high-rise community and anything that would cause that to happen would be a nonstarter to us.”
Dated Jan. 9, the letter accompanied the completed OPPAGA (Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability) consolidation study report emailed to Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth, Anna Maria Mayor Mark Short and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie on Jan. 8. The mayors then shared the report and the letter with their respective city commissioners.
OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature.
The issuance of Boyd and Robinson’s letter and the sharing of the completed 25-page OPPAGA study coincided with the Manatee County Legislative Delegation meeting held in Bradenton on Jan. 9. Robinson, Boyd and the other state legislators who comprise the Manatee County Legislative Delegation announced their desire for a consolidation study in 2023.
The consolidation study was requested at a time when Robinson, Boyd and former Manatee County Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge were at odds with Holmes Beach officials regarding public parking for beachgoers and the county’s desire to construct a parking garage at the county-owned Manatee Beach in Holmes Beach.
In 2023, Robinson filed legislation that resulted in the Florida Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis authorizing the county to construct a three-story parking garage at Manatee Beach despite the city’s existing prohibition on multi-level parking garages and substantial public opposition. In August, the county commission reversed course and terminated the parking garage design process.
While pursuing the consolidation study, Robinson and Boyd repeatedly expressed their desire for the three Island cities to reduce operating costs and lower property taxes by consolidating some of the similar services provided by all three cities.
The study
The 25-page OPPAGA report begins with an executive summary that says the Legislature directed OPPAGA to analyze the potential benefits of consolidating the services provided by the three Island cities and present options for the potential restructuring of the Island’s governance.
The study notes the Island’s permanent resident population declined 42% between 2007 and 2023, from 8,449 residents to 4,915. It also notes that 66% of the new vacation rental properties developed in Manatee County between 2000 to 2023 were developed on Anna Maria Island.
“There are some municipal services on the Island that could be streamlined through interlocal agreements, contracts or government reorganization. This streamlining of services could result in savings for Island residents,” the report says.
The report notes all three cities provide administrative, building and planning, public works, code enforcement and emergency management services; and Bradenton Beach and Holmes Beach have their own police departments. Anna Maria contracts with the Manatee County Sherrif’s Office for law enforcement services. Using data provided by the cities, the report summarizes each city’s revenues, expenditures, outstanding debt and reserve funds.
The report references four government restructuring options:
- Leaving the Anna Maria Island governmental structure as is;
- Combining the three Island cities into one new city;
- Including the three cities as part of unincorporated Manatee County; and
- Including the three cities as part of the city of Bradenton.
The analytical report does not include a recommendation of any of the consolidation options, but provides considerations and potential impacts for each consolidation option.
In regard to maintaining the status quo, the report states the duplicated services and the financial impacts created by those duplications would continue and each city’s property tax rates would remain the same. Maintaining the status quo would also avoid the expense, time, effort and disruption of city governance, and Island residents would not have to change their addresses.
Regarding the one city, county and Bradenton consolidation options, the report notes each of those options may produce economies of scale and cost savings but would also result in the elimination of each city’s charter, code ordinances, land development codes and comprehensive plan. Consolidation would also eliminate the current city commissions and advisory boards and require the restructuring of existing municipal contracts.
Robinson and Boyd’s letter notes that Manatee County government and the school district have also been encouraged to become more efficient and lower their taxes and millage rates.
“We know that cutting taxes and finding efficiencies is challenging, but we believe it is possible to accomplish this with hard work and now with this OPPAGA study as a roadmap,” the letter says.
“As we head into the 2025 Legislative Session, we would like to hear from you prior to Feb. 13 on ways you all believe services can be streamlined and better coordinated,” the letter concludes.
Mayors respond
In her Jan. 9 email to The Sun, Mayor Titsworth wrote, “I appreciate the time and effort that the team put into this study. I also look forward to working with the Island mayors, the new county board members and our state leaders in identifying efficiencies to decrease taxes for our citizens. I am pleased that the threats of consolidation and or elimination of our cities has passed and I appreciate the respect our Legislature has for home rule.”
During the Jan. 10 city commission meeting, Mayor Short read aloud some key points contained in Robinson and Boyd’s letter.
“I have reviewed the report,” he said. “I don’t necessarily agree with some of the data that’s in there, but it’s there. I need to digest this some more. I’d like the commission to do the same.”
Short said the report contains some inaccuracies, including some inaccurate financial figures, and he intends to issue a formal response to the report.
Commission Chair Charlie Salem thanked Short, city staff and former mayor Dan Murphy for ensuring the OPPAGA team received the data and information they requested. He also credited the citizens who sent emails and letters of opposition to the state legislators opposing consolidation and reinforcing the importance for the Island cities to maintain their home rule rights.
In conclusion, Short said, “This was an Island-wide effort. This wasn’t just us. It was all three cities, as well as support from others off-Island. I take comfort in this letter, but I’m not 100% convinced that it’s completely done.”
When contacted on Jan. 10, Mayor Chappie said he was glad the state legislators shared the report with the Island mayors, which is not a legal requirement.
Chappie also questions some of the figures and facts stated in the study, but he feels the study reinforces the unique characteristics of the three Island cites and the need to maintain local governance.
Chappie feels the three cities can use the OPPAGA report to help address Boyd and Robinson’s ongoing cost-cutting and tax reduction concerns.
“This is going to be a tool to help us look at ourselves as a community and how we can better our community,” he said.
