In Your Corner

The Martin County budget process is well underway. The budget will be adopted and millage rate set by the middle of August. Coincidentally, there is a political race on for county commission seats. We are not surprised that the incumbents have little to say about their record at holding taxes down, as they have raised taxes substantially over the past three years. We anticipate that improved property values this year will enable them to raise revenues significantly without raising the millage rate.

One might think that if property values rise, the opportunity for a millage decrease exists. Apparently, our county commission is not serious about holding costs down. It appears that even the motivation to cut taxes in an election year is not strong. Early direction to the County Administrator to cut costs to enable a tax reduction this budget year was so poorly stated and then implemented that the commission backed away completely from this issue.

We ask ourselves why our county commission repeatedly raises taxes with impunity. The only answer we can find is that most voters do not feel taxes are too high. Fair enough. But what about spending the money wisely? Again, most voters must not care, as examples of this commission wasting money on lawsuits and studies are so plentiful as to appear to be their chief product.

An alternate explanation of apparent voter indifference over taxes and waste in government is that we fear growth more than we desire good government. The incumbents regularly remind us that only they can protect us from becoming like Broward County. We agree that this protection would be worth paying for, but also believe we can have both an efficient government and a good environment, at more reasonable cost.

We suggest all county commission candidates read the following statement, and if they can, sign it: "I, ______, solemnly swear that I will uphold the County Comprehensive Plan, protect the Urban Service Boundary Line, preserve the four-story building height limit, and protect the Character of Martin County". Any candidate who cannot make such a statement could favor growth. Among those who can make this statement, and do, we suggest the election issues can be switched from "growth v no growth" to "What will provide us an efficient and well-run county government?"

The only way we are going to get a good government is to get past this senseless fear over growth, and identify the candidates who really care about running an efficient government.

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Our members did extensive research on a Palm City park land purchase made last year by our county commission. According to the County's Land Use Procedures, a park should have at lease 20 usable acres. If you will recall, our commission voted unanimously to purchase 16 acres at Mapp Rd and Martin Highway for a park. This purchase was approved at $910,000, even though the county had received two appraisals for the land of $450,000 and $600,000. There was reference to a third appraisal of $910,000, but the county staff, attorney's office, and administration have not been able to produce it. We were assured by Dan Hudson that he could get it for us, over three months ago. Still no appraisal.

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On June 21, one of our volunteers attended a public meeting conducted by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) to review its FY 2001 budget challenges.

This bureaucracy oversees such water-related issues as flood protection, natural systems management, water supply, and water quality in an area of 18,000 square miles, in 16 different counties, or approximately 30 percent of the land area of Florida. Spending for these programs will exceed $469 mil, almost half (47.5%) will come from ad valorem taxes which translates to an annual tax bill of $69.70 for a $100,000 home.

>From a more local point of view, local taxpayers are paying $4.9 million for Martin County's own Stormwater Management Program. Water management, in general, consumes a sizeable portion of taxpayer dollars. We have many questions regarding the redundancy of these regional and local efforts as well as their success in flood prevention and cleaning up our waters. Also, how many studies are being made in Martin County that are already available at SFWMD and vice versa?

Political pressures continue to steer many of these programs, of course. A prime example being government's failure to deal with Big Sugar to effect a restoration of the Everglades. As we learn more about water management practices, we will pass it on, but it is quite apparent that lots of money is being expended on these programs, not all of it wisely.