Mayor DeCiccio Does It Again!

Mayor DeCiccio recently sent an email highlighting possible spending reductions should the state wide referendum intended to rein in property taxes pass in November. She notes a total of $9.5 million in possible annual reductions with $3.3 million of that coming from police and fire budgets.

This is total baloney, as usual.

Should Referendum #3 pass and the Winter Park millage rate remain constant, the expected reduction in property taxes is $3 million in the year ending September 2028, and $6 million the following year, increasing with inflation thereafter. These estimates exclude the likely increase in taxes resulting from valuation increases by the Orange County Tax Assessor in 2027 and 2028.

DeCiccio’s email is just more self interested scare mongering by politicians and city staff. She fails to address structural issues that result in many millions being spent on projects and priorities that serve special interests and non-residents.

Addressing the items below can add as much as $10,000,000 each year to the General Fund without impacting public safety by even a penny.

• Terminate the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA)

• Sell 5 holes on the south section of the Winter Park Pines Golf Course

• Sublease the Winter Park Community Center

• Terminate the Natural Resources & Sustainability Services Department

• Raise pricing for non-resident use of park assets

• Focus the Communications Department on the City Website

Tell the Mayor and Commissioners to get serious. We don’t need the Mayor and city staff biasing the debate over Referendum 3. Commission members need to step up and deal with real issues that matter to Winter Park residents at large, not to special interests and non-residents.

For more information see:

Constructive Alternatives for Spending and Revenue

Time To Reduce City Spending!

Winter Park Wastes Our Money

Regards, Pete Weldon