Possible good news! Commissioner Sheila DeCiccio has sent an email stating, she has “no plans to vote for an increase to the City’s millage rate.” Although lawyer speak, her words are somewhat comforting. The final vote takes place on September 23rd and there is no assurance as to what her vote will be at that time. Your emails and signs seem to have convinced at least one commissioner to back off their July vote to increase the millage rate. The July vote of DeCiccio, Weaver, Sullivan, and Cooper put the onus on us to push back. The tax vote process is determined…
Month: August 2020
Do You Want Chickens in Your Neighbor’s Yard?
Click here to send an email to the commission letting them know if you want your neighbors to have chickens in their yard, or not. Last Wednesday commissioners DeCiccio, Weaver, and Sullivan voted for a chicken ordinance that will legalize your neighbor having a 7-foot-tall chicken coop in their rear or side yard with up to four chickens. Leary and Cooper voted no. The initial ordinance was amended so that approval of neighbors is not required to receive a chicken coop permit. The ordinance will sunset 24 months from adoption and allows up to 25 permits. They vote again on…
The Tax Leadership Solution
Contrast past city commission response to the Great Recession of 2007 to 2012 (reduce taxes by lowering the millage rate and decrease spending) with the current commissioners response to the COVID-19 pandemic (increase taxes by increasing the millage rate and increase spending). Click here for the history of the millage rate and city general fund revenues. During the Great Recession, the city commission kept the millage rate constant while falling appraised values lowered General Fund property tax revenue and other revenues also declined. During the same time period the city commission cut expenses while adding over $6.0 million to reserves,…
How Much Will The Tax Increase Cost You?
Check your new TRIM notice from the Orange County Appraiser to see how much the 11.5% millage rate increase will cost you. TRIM is an acronym for Truth In Millage. A very apt phrase in current circumstances. Here are the responses of the four commissioners who addressed your questions about their vote to increase taxes. Sheila DeCiccioMarty SullivanTodd WeaverCarolyn Cooper Arguments in support of their vote to increase the millage rate include claims of better information by September, concerns about the city’s solvency and hurricane recovery costs, and comparisons of millage rates between cities. The truth is they just want…
Mayor Leary Addresses Tax Increase
Last evening I received the following email from Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary and share it here. Regards, Pete Weldon Peter, I received your email “Commission Increases Taxes 11.5%,” and other questions from concerned stakeholders since the City Commission voted to increase the Tentative Millage Rate during our most recent meeting. I offer the following for clarification: Did the City Commission vote for an increased Millage Rate (Tax Rate?): Yes. By a vote of 4-1 (I was the lone dissenting vote), the City Commissioners voted to increase the operating millage, or tax rate. I have heard some claim that the…