FORT WALTON BEACH —Okaloosa County commissioners on Tuesday approved shifting the collection of bed taxes from the clerk of court to the tax collector.
The board voted 4-1 to amend the county ordinance to authorize the tax collector’s office to collect the taxes levied on short-term condominium and hotel rentals beginning Oct. 1.
Commissioner Dave Parisot opposed the measure, saying he supported the clerk’s office and believed it was doing a good job collecting and enforcing the tax.
He added that the vote was more about politics than actual facts.
“This program is not broke. … I will not vote to support this ordinance change,” Parisot said.
Commission Chairman Don Amunds told the audience his vote was in no way “based on politics.”
No residents spoke out during the public hearing.
The transfer of duties marks a victory for Tax Collector Ben Anderson, who has pushed to take over bed tax collection in the wake of the Tourist Development Council fraud scandal.
He proposed the change in direct response to what he saw as the clerk of court’s role in the mismanagement of millions of dollars in bed tax money and BP oil spill grants. Anderson said lapses within Clerk of Court Don Howard’s office allowed former TDC head Mark Bellinger to commit fraud.
He publicly blamed Howard for not catching Bellinger’s thefts earlier.
Howard, in turn, defended his office throughout the process and accused Anderson of trying to poach another constitutional officer’s duties. He accused Anderson of targeting the bed tax collections to get the 3 percent commission his office would earn on the revenues it processes each year.
Anderson has predicted that his office can increase bed tax collections by 25 percent during the first year.
The commissioners’ decision was expected before Tuesday’s meeting.
Howard has one employee overseeing the collection, enforcement and auditing of bed tax revenue. He said Monday he plans to redirect that employee “in the financial area in some fashion.”
“In regards to the TDC issue and the enhanced review we have implemented already, there’s plenty that we can do,” Howard said.
Anderson said Monday that his staff will immediately begin preparing for its new duties. He and three employees are leaving today to meet with tax collector offices in Orange, Manatee, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
“We are meeting with staff and department heads on how they collect, how they enforce and how they audit tourist development taxes,” Anderson said. “We expect to fully study and research ... the procedures and policies to conduct these three functions.”
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari C. Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn.
