SANTA ROSA BEACH — Walton County residents will not see their tax rate increase in fiscal 2013-14.
A divided County Commission opted Monday to keep the millage rate at 3.5563 after a number of residents spoke about the financial hardship an increase would cause.
View a video from the meeting.
“I’ve heard what everybody said tonight,” Commissioner Sara Comander said. “ … I’d like to hold the line one more year, even though I know that’s going to dip into reserves.”
The 3-2 vote means the millage rate cannot go any higher than 3.5563 mills when the final budget is approved Sept. 23, but it could go lower.
By keeping the levy at this year’s level, the board will limit the balance of its reserve funds.
Had commissioners increased the rate to the proposed 4.1060 mills, for example, they could have doubled the $5.5 million general fund reserve balance.
Commissioner Bill Imfeld opposed keeping the existing tax rate primarily because he was concerned how the county would afford unfunded mandates passed down from the state.
“If we go right to where we’re at, we’ve got no room to look at some of the other costs that have come in this year,” he said. “I definitely think we need to come down from what was sent out in the trim notices. … I’m just concerned that we now have not given staff any flexibility to deal with what will be new costs.”
Comander and Cindy Meadows said they understood Imfeld’s concern, but emphasized that the $111.5 million budget had room for cuts.
“I truly believe we just need to look a little harder,” Comander said.
Newly hired County Administrator Larry Jones promised to have his staff look into opportunities to be more efficient even as Meadows cautioned that the decision would come at a cost.
“People need to understand, too, that’s where we are. We can provide the essential services, and that’s it,” Meadows said.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn.