ANNA MARIA – The three Island mayors are united in their response to Sen. Jim Boyd and Rep. Will Robinson Jr.’s ongoing efforts to consolidate city services to reduce property taxes.
During the Aug. 24 Anna Maria City Commission meeting, Mayor Dan Murphy and Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie presented a statement on behalf of all three cities, noting that they have Holmes Beach Mayor Judy Titsworth’s permission to speak on her behalf. The mayors announced their support for a study on the consolidation of city services, but they do not support a study on the consolidation or elimination of the Island’s three city governments.
On Jan. 12, the Manatee County Legislative Delegation, consisting of Boyd, Robinson, Sen. Joe Gruters, Rep. Tommy Gregory and Rep. Mike Beltran, all Republicans, expressed a collective desire for a consolidation study conducted by the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability (OPPAGA). On Jan. 19, Boyd sent a letter to Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo requesting her approval for the study.
During the Florida Legislature’s 2023 legislative session that began in March, Murphy traveled to Tallahassee to meet with Boyd and Robinson. According to Murphy, he helped convince them to delay the study and give the mayors time to discuss and propose potential consolidations of service. Those mayoral discussions have not yet produced any tangible results.
On Aug. 21, Boyd and Robinson sent a letter to the three mayors stating the legislative delegation was prepared to resume its pursuit of an OPPAGA study because the mayors had not yet presented “implementable concepts” regarding the potential consolidation of police, building department and public works department services as tax-cutting measures.
Mayors’ response
During Thursday’s Anna Maria commission meeting, Murphy referenced Boyd and Robinson’s letter.
“I must say it does not come as a surprise,” he said when acknowledging the three mayors’ lack of progress thus far.
Murphy said he met with Chappie and Titsworth earlier that morning to discuss their collective response to the letter and the study.
“Unanimously, we agreed that the right thing to do is to embrace this study. If this study can reduce our taxes, which it probably could, and if it could also enhance and improve the scope of services to the residents of this Island, we’re all in. All three of us,” Murphy said.
“On the other hand, I think it needs to be very clear that’s the scope of the study. The scope should not be the consolidation or the elimination or the de-annexation of the three municipalities on this Island,” Murphy said.
“The three of us agreed there are three very distinct cultures in the cities on the Island. To maintain that difference, we need to have a separate government addressing the needs and the wants of that community. If we can do it for less money, I’m all for it. And if this study can generate that, I’m all for that; and so is Judy Titsworth and so is John Chappie,” Murphy said.
Bradenton Beach Mayor John Chappie feels a consolidation of services study could be beneficial to Island residents. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Murphy then asked Chappie to speak.
“I agree with everything Mayor Murphy said,” Chappie said. “I’m here as a sign of unity. We are one Island community and three distinctive individual cities. We work together. We live here together. We’re neighbors.”
Regarding the study, he said, “We embrace the opportunity to help us possibly lower our taxes, help improve our services, and improve the quality of life for our residents and visitors.”
Chappie shared some research he did on OPPAGA studies.
“It is a research arm for state legislators. They provide data, valuational research, and objective analysis. Objective analysis is required to be impartial, detached, neutral and unbiased. I look forward to, and I think the other mayors do too, to the state being able to help with some of the things we need to do that would help improve the quality of life for our residents and visitors. I think we need to take advantage of this tool,” he said.
Chappie said he and the Bradenton Beach Commission will discuss the OPPAGA study at their next meeting.
He added that Titsworth would have attended the commission meeting, but she was with her pregnant daughter who was overdue to give birth.
When contacted Friday and asked if she supported a study focused on consolidating services, Titsworth said, “Yes. If a study is being done, it would be nice if the city mayors could have input on the parameters as we all look for ways to reduce taxes for our property owners.”
During Thursday’s meeting, Commissioner Jon Crane said he’d prefer that the OPPAGA study focus on consolidating services rather than city governments.
Murphy briefly mentioned the potential consolidation of law enforcement services – an idea that has not garnered public support from Chappie or Titsworth.
Law enforcement is generally among the largest annual expenses a local government incurs. For the coming 2023-24 fiscal year, Anna Maria is budgeting $1.34 million for law enforcement services provided by the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. Bradenton Beach is budgeting $1.77 million for law enforcement services provided by its police department. Holmes Beach is budgeting $4.53 million for law enforcement services provided by its police department. The three cities combined are budgeting $7.64 million for law enforcement.
Commissioner Charlie Salem said it might be useful to ask the legislative lobbyists from each city to interact with those requesting the study.
“These studies get done all the time and how they’re used with the Legislature is going to be an important part of whether or not this goes the way we’d like,” Salem said.
Murphy said he spoke with Anna Maria’s lobbyist Wednesday evening who agreed that the mayors should support a study on consolidating services.
During public input, Murphy was asked if he’d received any indication from Boyd and Robinson that they’re amenable to consolidating services without consolidating the city governments.
“It’s premature at this point. I think ultimately that discussion has to happen, and it has to happen soon,” Murphy said.
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