MANATEE COUNTY – Commissioners have unanimously approved the county’s 2021-22 fiscal year budget, which will take effect when the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.
When adopting the budget on Tuesday, Aug. 14, commissioners also approved a plan set forth by County Administrator Scott Hopes that will reduce by .2 mills the ad valorem property tax rate assessed by the county next year. According to a press release issued by the county last week, this will be Manatee County’s first property tax cut since 2008.
The millage rate decrease will result in many owners seeing an approximate $50 decrease in their next property tax bill, according to another release.
“The millage reduction is made possible largely by another year of significant increases in local property values. Under the current tax rate, rising values would have resulted in a $21 million increase in revenues over the current fiscal year. Instead, commissioners unanimously approved the .2 mill reduction, which returns $8.3 million to taxpayers,” the press release states.
“The board of county commissioners also approved the largest five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in Manatee County’s history, totaling more than $997 million dollars of investments in infrastructure, public safety, parks and our environment. The county commission is investing $350.3 million in transportation projects, $80.3 million in parks, and $39.1 million in public safety projects,” the press release notes.
“Even with the millage reduction, the budget invests heavily in local infrastructure improvements. Nearly $350.3 million in transportation and road projects, plus significant investments in public safety and law enforcement highlight the $923 million budget. The adopted budget includes new investments in the county’s workforce to respond to increased capital projects workloads and service levels,” according to the press release.
The anticipated workforce increases include:
- 14 new sheriff’s office deputies, one resource assistance program deputy to focus on homeless issues, one body-worn camera deputy to lead the education and training for new technology and one school resource officer.
- 14 new positions in the Building and Development Services Department.
- 12 new paramedics.
- One new 911 telecommunicator, two 911 customer services representatives and one customer services representative for 311 data entry.
The list of county roads to be widened from two lanes to four lanes as part of the five-year CIP plan includes:
- 59th Street West from Cortez Road to Manatee Avenue ($23.4 million).
- 63rd Avenue East from U.S. 301 to Tuttle Avenue ($16.2 million).
- 75th Street West from 20th Avenue West to Manatee Avenue ($11.1 million).
Commissioners’ comments
In one of the press releases, County Commission Chair Vanessa Baugh stated, “I think Dr. Hopes and (Chief Financial Officer Jan) Brewer have done a fabulous job in this budget. It is wonderful to be working on such a large infrastructure program to help the traffic congestion in our county because of the population growth and to give the citizens a reduction in millage for the first time since 2008.”
“We have embarked on an aggressive road improvement campaign while simultaneously cutting taxes. Major road improvements have been budgeted for District 3,” District 3 Commissioner Kevin Van Ostenbridge stated in the release.
“With the increase in property values, we were fortunate to have $100 million more than we did last year. With the values on the rise and all the new construction, we were able to lower taxes and leverage a line of credit to get these roads and critical transportation needs going,” Holmes Beach resident and At-Large Commissioner Carol Whitmore stated in the release.
“You are seeing things move in the county at a rate in the county that you haven’t seen in some time. We are going to get a lot of things done,” Hopes stated in the release.
Law enforcement
According to the press release, “The largest one-year investment in the budget remains in the areas of law enforcement and public safety. Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells’ annual budget will increase by $12.6 million to cover funding for 14 new deputies, an additional patrol boat to expand marine responses, one resource assistance program deputy to focus on homeless issues, one body-worn camera deputy to lead the education and training for new technology, one school resource officer and one Domestic Violence Unit Detective.”
“In partnership with Sheriff Wells, we have identified an increased investment to meet the safety needs of our rapidly growing population,” Hopes stated in the press release.
