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Tag: Anna Maria millage rate

Commissioners propose larger tax cut

Commissioners propose larger tax cut

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News, Featured.

ANNA MARIA – Mayor Dan Murphy recently presented his $10.4 million proposed capital plan for the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The plan was based on a proposed 1.75 tentative millage rate that would have lowered taxes for city residents and provided an estimated $1.21 million contingency fund to cover unanticipated expenses or project expenditures.

In a desire to give Anna Maria property owners an even greater property tax decrease, commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of setting the tentative millage rate at 1.65, creating a slightly lower anticipated contingency fund of $987,000.

When presenting his plan to city commissioners on July 25, Murphy broke the proposed capital improvement project expenditures into two main categories – existing projects that were previously budgeted for but not yet completed, and new projects that were previously discussed but not budgeted for until now.

EXISTING PROJECTS

The capital plan proposes spending a total of $6.94 million on existing capital projects.

Murphy’s capital plan proposes spending $250,000 on street and road paving and maintenance. That marks a significant decrease from the $673,000 budgeted for the current 2023-24 fiscal year that ends on Sept 30. Murphy said Anna Maria’s streets and roads have all been repaved in recent years and are in good shape, with no existing potholes that he’s aware of, but there’s still some pavement striping needed.

“I get compliments on our roads,” Murphy said.

The capital plan proposes spending $3.65 million for new Pine Avenue sidewalks, using money carried over from the current fiscal year. The sidewalk installations will be primarily funded by a state appropriation and some additional state and federal funds being carried over from the current fiscal year. Murphy said no ad valorem property tax revenues will be used to fund the sidewalk installations.

The capital plan proposes spending $2.47 million for stormwater and drainage improvements and $525,235 for stormwater and drainage maintenance.

NEW PROJECTS

The capital plan proposes spending $3.5 million on new capital projects previously discussed by the commission.

The plan proposes spending $70,000 to install shade sails above the children’s playground at City Pier Park, and $75,000 to install some type of shade structure above the city-owned uncovered deck area at the T-end of the City Pier.

The plan proposes spending $288,000 to construct a stand-alone comfort station near the Island Players building and public parking lot next to the Island Players. Featuring public restrooms and an outdoor shower for beachgoers and other visitors, the comfort station will be built using tourist development tax revenues received from Manatee County. The capital plan proposes spending an additional $175,000 to redesign and reconfigure that public parking lot to make it more efficient and more disabled-accessible.

The capital plan proposes spending $305,000 in resiliency grant funds to replace the city hall roof and install hurricane windows and hurricane doors.

The plan includes $95,000 in state funds to study a long-term alternative to dredging the Lake La Vista jetty entrance every two or three years. The plan also includes $2.49 million to remove the silt left behind by Hurricane Idalia in 2023 that covers and renders ineffective many of the city’s drainage trenches.

Anna Maria plans to maintain 2.05 millage rate

Anna Maria plans to maintain 2.05 millage rate

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Anna Maria, Community News.

ANNA MARIA – The city commission plans to maintain the current 2.05 millage rate for the ad valorem property taxes collected in the coming 2022-23 fiscal year.

The current 2021-22 fiscal year ends Sept. 30 and the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Mayor Dan Murphy and the city commission participated in budget planning meetings on July 14 and July 28 and will participate in a third budget meeting on Thursday, Aug. 11 at 1:30 p.m.

Anticipated 2022-23 revenues were the topic of the July 14 meeting and anticipated operating expenses were the topic of the July 28 meeting. Anticipated capital and core project expenditures will be the topic of the Aug. 11 meeting. The three primary capital and core projects being budgeted for in the 2022-23 fiscal year are street paving, stormwater and drainage improvements and the Pine Avenue sidewalk, crosswalk and lighting improvements.

Millage rate

On July 28, the commission unanimously supported Murphy’s suggestion to tentatively adopt a 2.05 millage rate for the 2022-23 budget year. The tentatively adopted millage rate can still be decreased before the final budget is adopted in September but it cannot be increased. According to the July 28 discussion, a lower millage rate is unlikely.

According to the projected revenues sheet Murphy provided the commission on July 14, higher than usual increases in property values and maintaining the same 2.05 millage rate will provide the city with an additional $609,329 in ad valorem property tax revenues. The city anticipates receiving $3.57 million in property tax revenues in 2022-23 compared to $2.96 million in the current 2021-22 fiscal year.

Revenues

The city anticipates receiving $11.2 million in total city revenues for the 2022-23 fiscal year – a 32% increase from the $8.5 million listed for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

The additional revenues include a $1.28 million state appropriation for the Reimagining Pine Avenue project and $500,000 from Manatee County for the installation of a Mote Marine educational outreach center on the City Pier.

The projected 2022-23 revenues include $1.4 million in stormwater revenues received from three sources: the Southwest Florida Water Management District, FEMA and the annual stormwater fee assessed to Anna Maria property owners. Those funds will be used to expand, improve and maintain the city’s stormwater and drainage systems.

Murphy anticipates a slight decrease in the intergovernmental revenues received from other governmental agencies. He said this is due to the ½ cent tax revenues received from Manatee County decreasing from $128,647 to an anticipated $85,219.

Murphy noted the ½ cent tax revenues approved by county voters several years ago are shared with the cities in Manatee County using a population-based calculation method. Murphy said the decrease in Anna Maria’s share of the ½ cent sales tax revenues is due to a decrease in the city’s population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Anna Maria’s population was 1,503 people in 2010 and 968 people in 2020.

The $710,019 in anticipated intergovernmental revenues also includes $240,447 in gas tax revenues.

Murphy tentatively estimated $375,000 in annual vacation rental registration fee revenues, but he expects that to increase before the final budget is adopted because the city is still researching the annual expenses associated with the administration and enforcement of the city’s vacation rental ordinance. The occupancy-based registration fee is based upon those anticipated expenses, including salaries and equipment, and is not intended to generate any additional revenues for the city.

The city anticipates receiving $280,000 in parking and code enforcement fines. The revenue sheet also references an $83,312 payment the city received during the current fiscal year for fines associated with an unregistered vacation rental.

Murphy said the owner of a vacation rental home on Magnolia Avenue refused to register the home as a vacation rental. After warning the homeowner and taking the case before the city’s special magistrate, the city placed a lien on the property. The homeowner was fined $500 per day and when the home was sold, the city received $83,312 as a result of the lien. The city is currently dealing with a potentially similar situation involving an unregistered two-unit vacation rental home at 714 Jacaranda Road.

The city anticipates receiving $1.1 million in license and permit fees, including $650,000 in building permit fees and $75,000 in planning fees.

Expenditures

During the July 28 meeting, Murphy provided an overview of the $4.85 million in anticipated operating expenditures for the 2022-23 fiscal year. Murphy said most of the anticipated operating expenditures include 5-7% inflationary increases. He noted the operating expenses do not include the capital and core project expenses to be discussed on Aug. 11.

Murphy’s proposed budget includes a 6% Cost of Living Allowance salary adjustment for all city employees, with no additional raises given this year.

As usual, the city’s largest single operating expense is the $1.13 million budgeted for the law enforcement services provided by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office’s Anna Maria Unit. Murphy said that cost is increasing by 10%, due primarily due to the salary increases being given to county deputies.

The city anticipates spending $948,735 on administration department salaries and expenses, $947,125 on building department salaries and expenses, $695,415 on public works department salaries and expenses, $545,447 on code enforcement department salaries and expenses and $293,329 on parks and recreation.