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Pasco Commissioners Set Tentative Tax Rate; Hearings Begin Sept. 8

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By JULIA FERRANTE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 23, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - County commissioners on Tuesday set a tentative tax rate of $5.43 per $1,000 of property valuation for the upcoming 2008-09 fiscal year – the same rate homeowners paid this year.
Property owners will, however, save an estimated $115 each in the coming year, however, thanks to statewide property tax reform, a slow economy and a trimmed down budget of $980 million.
Homeowners in August will receive notices from the property appraiser showing their estimated taxes for the coming year.
Those in the county's fire and rescue taxing district also must pay 99.6 cents per $1,000 as well as school taxes, water district and mosquito control district fees and other assessments. Those in municipalities pay local taxes.
The proposed budget, which goes into effect Oct. 1, includes higher fees for services and about $3.8 million more to compensate for higher fuel costs. The plan also has 44 fewer full-time positions than this fiscal year does not include raises for employees, although some jobs are being added.
Even though the countywide property tax rate will stay the same, county leaders will collect less than they did this fiscal year, Director of Management and Budget Michael Nurrenbrock said. That's because voters in January approved a constitutional amendment that allows an additional $25,000 homestead exemption for properties valued at more than $75,000.
The constitutional amendment will cost the county about $17.9 million from the general fund and fire tax fund, Nurrenbrock said.
Full-time residents claiming homestead exemptions will see their assessments rise despite the budget reductions. In a declining real estate market, Florida property appraisers must increase assessments for resident protected by the state's Save Our Homes legislation by 3 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. The inflation rate is more than 4 percent.
The increases will, however, be offset by additional homestead exemptions.
The first public hearing on the budget is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sept. 8 at the historic Pasco County Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave., Dade City.
The budget may be viewed at www.pascocountyfl.net.

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

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