Charlotte County State Legislative Priority Items 2007

  1. Local Gas Tax Indexing

Support any efforts to allow for the local gas tax to be indexed based on inflation. The State, over 10 years ago, authorized that the State Motor Fuel Tax be annually indexed to the Consumer Price Index to allow the purchasing power of the tax to be maintained as costs increased over time. However, they did not provide for the same indexing of the Local Option Gas Taxes imposed by the Counties. As such, the buying power of the Local tax has decreased as costs have increased. As Counties struggle to find new revenue sources and fend off unfunded State mandates it has become imperative that Counties have every revenue resource available.

  1. Road Projects

Support State funding increases for local road projects. Restore transportation projects delayed or postponed due to increased transportation costs, labor shortages and other unexpected events. Prevent diversion of the State Transportation Trust Fund and transportation user fees to non-transportation purposes, recognizing that the diverted money would be unavailable to fund area transportation improvement needs.

  1. Mosquito Control

Support State funding increases to fund mosquito control. Over the past several years, State funding for mosquito control has decreased. Three years ago, the State contributed $45,000 per year toward mosquito control, for the past several years, the funding has dropped to $37,000 per year. 

  1. Transportation Disadvantaged

Support maintaining allocation levels of the State Transportation Disadvantage funds for Charlotte County.

  1. State Housing Initiative Partnership (SHIP)

Support additional funds to Charlotte County to meet our housing assistance needs and Support repealing the cap on expenditures from the Sadowski fund for housing needs.

The Sadowski fund is funded by doc stamp collections from the each real estate transaction in the State of Florida. The State distributed those funds annually to each county based on population. During the first decade of its’ existence, all funds deposited into the Sadowski fund were distributed to counties for housing assistance. Four years ago the State, by legislative action, capped the funds to be distributed for housing needs. 

Charlotte County’s allocation with the cap is approximately $1.3 million per year. If the cap were removed, it would likely exceed $2 million.

Charlotte County
Property Tax Policy Statements

  1. Oppose a cap on local government property tax revenues and/or expenditures. Neither revenue or expenditure caps would address the tax inequities that currently exist in the property assessment and tax system. Unless there were a number of exceptions to the cap, the local governments would be unable to pursue a number of programs, or initiatives, and meet the infrastructure demands on growth which may be desirable or in the best interests of the citizens.

As a Home Rule Charter County, we believe that decisions regarding the amount of revenues and expenditures are best left to the local elected officials.
Issues to consider:

    1. There is already a Constitutional Cap of 10 mills – for FY 2006 – 2007, Charlotte County will be at 4.84 mills.
    2. This would inhibit the County’s ability to pay for unfunded mandates passed down by the State, including but not limited to concurrency issues and other necessary infrastructure needs.
  1. Oppose unrestricted portability of Homestead Exemptions. Any proposals for portability must include an economic impact study. Criteria to consider:

    1. Restrict portability to moves within the same county
    2. One time only
  1. Support maintaining the homestead exemption at its current level.

Note: Doubling the homestead exemption would eliminate approximately $68 million in revenue from Charlotte County over the next 10 years.

Approved by the Board of County Commissioners 11/28/06

Charlotte County
State Legislative Funding Requests 2007

Family Service Center

Need

Seeking funding for renovations and operations of a new family services center in mid-Charlotte County. This is a new request for funding from the State. 

Description

This facility is currently located off of Easy Street and Gibralter in mid-county. The building is currently approximately 4000 sq. feet and houses the Boys and Girls Club. It has structural damage (cracked foundation and cracked structural walls) and needs to be rebuilt. Approximate cost for rebuilding the facility is $2.5 million.   

The funding for this facility is likely to come from Ad Valorem money, capital campaigns in conjunction with area non-profits and a variety of other creative fundraising.  

The newly rebuilt facility will ideally have 30,000 square feet and service many functions including:

  • A place to house all children’s programs on the first floor and the industrial sized kitchen. This area will also serve as an emergency shelter. It will likely have an open-air gymnasium as well as the kitchen on the first floor.
  • The second floor will be used for training (mostly by extension services for family/consumer sciences) and for program administrative offices. 

Sewer Funding Request

Need
State funds available for County sewer projects

Description

  • Charlotte County is in the early stages of funding a study as part of the EPA “Gulf Project”.
  • This is a 2-year study beginning in February of 2007 that will analyze and prioritize which septic systems should be connected to public sewer.
  • Objective 11.3 in Comp Plan states that previously developed properties must connect to sewer within 1 year of written notification from the Utility Provider that sewer has been installed.
  • Between 1993 and 1997 there was a 45% reduction in the number of septic permits being issued as a result of the aggressive sewer expansion plan initiated in 1993.
  • In addition, all (4) Waste Water Treatment Plant expansions as well as major transmission force mains shall be completed no later than 2010 in order to meet future demands as stated in the Comprehensive plan Objective 10.2.
  • These dates were adopted in the most recent Comprehensive Plan.
  • We will be starting connection with the oldest parts of the County where the septic systems are in excess of 30 years old.
  • The Charlotte Harbor Community Redevelopment Association has a reimbursement program that will utilize CDBG Grant money to help defray some of the connection fees associated with hooking up to Charlotte County Utilities proposed sewer system that may be installed under an MSBU. This is the only assistance currently available for low income.

Jail Expansion Project

Need
Seeking $1.5 million for construction funding of the Charlotte County Jail. 

Description

  • Charlotte County is experiencing a higher daily inmate population (approximately 450) than the projected population (approximately 300 to 350) for the second to third year of occupancy. 
  • Including the federal inmates (approximately 75) all eight adult housing pods are in use, which represents a 42% increase in the use of the Jail than was initially anticipated. 
  • Even deducting the federal inmates from this analysis, the Jail has still experienced a 29% increase greater than what was planned. 
  • The new facility will be located off of Airport Road and I-75 in Charlotte County.
  • We are seeking funds to help support the construction of a 528 bed facility with separate artillery housing for 200 to 250 additional inmates plus dormitory type housing for another 200 to 250 inmates. 

Cost of the Project

  • Total cost for the project is estimated at $46.15 million. 
  • This includes the cost of design, architecture and engineering, construction, equipment and interest. 
  • More than $23.9 million is slated to come from the County’s Ad Valorem tax, $2.16 million from impact fees.