EDITORIAL: Agreement needs to be made on Florence City Council’s budget
Published: September 27, 2009
Florence City Council has been trying to pass a budget since June. The process has been frustrating, exacerbated by the economic downturn.
History of Major General Fund Revenue Sources
- 1987: A completely revised, comprehensive business license ordinance establishing business classifications and rates was adopted. Rates have not been increased since this adoption.
- 1989: Property tax millage increased 6 mills. The millage was increased for the first time since the 1970’s to fund the construction of Freedom Florence.
- 1991: Property tax millage reduced by 11.6 mills due to reassessment (prior reassessment was 9 years earlier in 1982)
- 1995: Local Option Sales Tax adopted in 1993 and applied as property tax rollback providing property tax “relief.” No increase in revenues resulted for the City.
- 1995: Property tax millage reduced by 8 mills, resulting in a reversal of the 1989 millage increase.
- 1996: Property tax millage reduced again by 5 mills.
- 2000: Property tax millage reduced by 7.6 mills due to reassessment.
- 2004: Hospitality Fee imposed resulting in an effective revenue increase in the General Fund when certain expenditures provided by the General Fund were “redirected” to the Hospitality Fee Fund. Redirected General Fun Revenues used largely for public safety.
- 2006: Property tax millage reduced by 5.9 mills due to reassessment.
- 2007: Franchise fees increased for all franchisees from 3% to 5% to provide for additional operating costs related to the Planning Department, Police Department, Barnes Street, Veterans Park, GASB 45 OPEB and Teen Center Debt Service.
- 2011: Property tax millage likely to be reduced due to scheduled reassessment.
More than three months later, city leaders, planners and department heads are in limbo without a clear blueprint for 2009-10. They’re managing based on last year’s budget and guesswork.
A special session has been called for Monday afternoon to have a final vote on the budget, and we hope Mayor Stephen J. Wukela and city council members do not leave the chambers until they’ve come to an agreement.
City leaders seemed to be on the same page on priorities after a Myrtle Beach retreat in March. But support for a new fire station, a downtown parking garage and additional police officers was bogged down when a tax increase seemed imminent.
Wukela proposed an increase at a June meeting, but it failed without support from a single council member. No one was willing to be labeled as a tax-and-spend politician except the mayor.
The mood has changed. To bring factions together and examine the first possible tax increase in more than 50 years, a committee consisting of council members Buddy Brand, Steve Powers and Octavia Williams-Blake was established to go through the budget thoroughly to see if a tax increase was needed. The committee concluded a small tax increase, costing the average homeowner $3 a month, was in order.
The committee’s diligence made it clear the fire station, parking garage and police hiring would not happen merely by cutting spending, as Wukela contended.
At the time of Wukela’s proposal, we said a tax increase should be a last resort. We’re satisfied the city needs the fire station and more officers fighting gang activity in Florence. We also think it needs to move forward with other priorities, such as the new no-kill Florence Area Humane Society animal shelter and staffing for the new tennis complex.
Just when it seemed a thorough review of the budget was the answer, another stumbling block emerged. Councilman Ed Robinson started filibustering on his own pet project, a proposed teen center for downtown Florence.
Other council members do not favor adding $400,000 to the budget of the center this year, and the perceived slight has irritated Robinson.
Robinson’s feelings would be understandable if he had a firm proposal in place for the center. But there’s no clear location or estimate of operating expenses. There’s no analysis of how a downtown teen center might affect others in the community. It would be foolhardy for Council to fund it without an in-depth vision.
We hope Robinson comes to Monday’s council meeting in a better mood, accepting defeat for this year but challenging his fellow council members to help him develop plans for the 2010-11 budget.
A downtown teen center, bringing young people together from all across the city, sounds good in theory when Robinson explains it. It’s not a good idea when the city’s having to raise taxes to fund essential services such as fire and police.
— Unsigned editorials represent the views of this newspaper. Editorial Board members are Mark Laskowski (regional publisher), James Bennett (regional editor), Sam Bundy (sports editor), Kimberly Ginfrida (news editor), David Johnson (regional circulation director), Charles Tomlinson (Lake City News & Post editor) and Jackie Torok (metro editor).
Advertisement
Reader Reactions
There’s already a place for teens on Barnes street. Must’ve spent a good bit on it already, from the looks of it. Building something more would be throwing good money after bad, because there’s no interest in this one from parents who already are raising their kids properly, and the parents who aren’t doing so could not care less that it even exists. The entire idea of having a teen center is misguided & smacks of “Nanny State” idealism in the first place. If kids are made to attend, you’ll be having some of the new officers there just to keep it from being destroyed, and/or them killing each other.
BTW, Tennis Complex = revenue generator for the area much like Freedom Florence has become viz-a-vis the sport of softball. Look at what has sprung up around that in South Florence. Build it & they will come…to play, stay in hotels, eat at restaurants, shop at malls, etc. It makes sense, and will put people to work in the construction industry short term, and the service industry long term. Basically, this is what we are aside from a transportation hub. A place where people from the surrounding area(s) come to visit, play, & be entertained. All of these things require the expenditure of money, which drives an economy. OUR economy.
Lisa, FlotownRed, and Angelswalk. For what it’s worth, I am in total agreement with your comments. I posted on todays article regarding the proposed millage increase, so I won’t repeat my comment here. You 3 pretty much said it all. Thanks
When Ed Robinson realizes he is NOT Florence’s version of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton ... he’ll be in for a shock to see how big of freaking bum he is! This is the same guy that asked (and received) 14 thousand dollars for a celebration aimed at African Americans! The times are a changing Eddie Boy!
I agree….......something constructive needs to be done at one of these meetings. Maybe they can muzzle Ed for once.
I can see the allotment for the animal shelter…..but why does Florence need a tennis complex?
The teen center in the downtown area….........where Ed? They would have to knock down a business to put it there….and how are the teens going to get there if they dont drive? Bad idea,besides we have a Boys and Girls Club already (which is FUNDED!).
It would be great to see our Mayor and council get something productive done for a change.
We will see.
Advertisement