Sorry to put a damper on our holiday cheer but I think every resident needs to know that our city commission just approved major spending initiatives with no strategic planning and no budget process. Please contact the Mayor and Commissioners and tell them to reverse the $2,800,000 spending decision they approved this past week. At the December 9th commission meeting, an Action Item titled “Discussion of financing of Ward Park and Mead Garden capital improvements” resulted in a vote of approval that committed $2,800,000 in new spending without any strategic planning, in depth analysis, or public budget process, and, they…
Traffic Truth
Carolyn Cooper recently sent an email with the subject: “13,753 Daily Trips Generated,” related to the Orange Avenue Overlay, apparently thinking this was a meaningful data point. She thoughtfully linked a video of the traffic consultant’s presentation on future traffic expectations. I encourage you to take time to view the video. The presentation debunks years of dogma about traffic as a meaningful Winter Park policy issue. I am no fan of large development within Winter Park but we need our leaders to stop making “traffic” the boogeyman and focus on encouraging redevelopment that complements the character and quality of Winter…
Three Questions
The first of two votes on the “Single Member Districts” Charter Amendment ordinance is expected this Wednesday, November 11th. Read the proposed ordinance here. I have asked our commission members three questions related to this proposed amendment to the City Charter. Mayor Leary and Vice Mayor Cooper have responded “NO” to each of the questions. The three commission members moving this forward (DeCiccio, Weaver, and Sullivan) have yet to respond. Click here to ask DeCiccio, Weaver, and Sullivan for their answers to these questions and let me know what they tell you: Will you vote for the single member district…
Clueless or Careless?
Commission members DeCiccio, Sullivan, and Weaver are moving ahead with a referendum for the March 2021 ballot that, if approved, would change Winter Park commission elections from “at large” to “single member districts.” The current plan is that the referendum would propose geographic districts for 4 commissioners with the mayor elected at large. Commission members Cooper and Leary are against moving forward with this referendum. Let your commission know what you think about this issue. The three commissioners supporting this referendum are unclear why they are doing it or what the consequences will be if approved. DeCiccio says she agrees…
Tax Rate Increase Stopped – Taxes Increase
Today, September 23, 2020, the city commission voted 4-1 (Mayor Leary voted “no”) to finalize the millage rate for 2020-2021 at 4.0923, unchanged from last year and below the rate of 4.5623 they voted for in July. Based on increases in taxable valuations from the Orange County Appraiser, homestead property will still see a typical increase of 2.3% and non-homestead property will see a 10% increase in property taxes. As at the September 9th meeting, Mayor Leary again made the motion to lower the 2020-2021 millage rate to the “roll back” rate which would generate the same property tax revenue…
Less Tax Increase, More Chickens
Less Tax Increase: As anticipated, yesterday the commission reversed their July 22 vote to increase the millage rate 11.5%, voting to keep the rate constant at 4.0923. Based on increases in taxable valuations from the Orange County Appraiser, this means homestead property will still see a typical increase of 2.3% and non-homestead property will see a 10% increase with the unchanged millage rate. Mayor Leary proposed lowering the millage rate to keep property tax revenue the same as 2020 which none of the other commission members supported. There was a difference of opinion on lowering the millage rate below last…
Commissioners Likely To Reverse Tax Rate Increase
From commission meeting minutes, millage rate vote July 22, 2020: Your emails and yard signs have made a difference. Two of the four commission members who voted to increase the property tax rate by 11.5% in July have now publicly reversed themselves. Sheila DeCicco now says she has, “no plans to vote for an increase to the City’s millage rate.” Marty Sullivan now says, “Good news, it seems we will not need to increase the property tax rate. The old rate looks to be the appropriate rate, 4.0923 millage rate.” (as if there was ever a credible justification for an…
DeCiccio Reverses Course?
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…
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,…