In Your Corner

We again thank the Martin County Commission and Administrator for video taping their February 4 th FY 2010 Budget Workshop. All taxpayers should view it at: http://martin.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=8&clip_id=688. This important annual meeting is open to the public but usually not well attended or covered in depth by the media. The reasons are obvious. It is not broadly advertised and previous revenue increases usually came at the expense of non-homesteaded, non-voting residents - and elected officials were very happy with that arrangement.

The meeting itself was well organized and researched, but disappointing on many levels. The first disappointment was the validation of what we forecast and were afraid of - a large and growing shortfall in the County’s projected revenues. The Administration estimates property tax (ad Valorem) will be down about $12 million at our current tax rate. Sales taxes, gasoline taxes and other revenues are also down, bringing the total projected shortfall to $20 million or more.

Our second disappointment was the early emphasis on “how do we get more money”. Ideas presented included new taxes on your electricity bill, raising storm water fees, increased water and sewer rates, changing how we fund Fire/Rescue services and raising ad Valorem millage rates. Obviously all of these must be considered to avoid cutting ESSENTIAL services. However, SPENDING is the real problem. When times were good elected officials spent so they can show their constituents what they were doing for them. When times get tough they are reluctant to cut the fat since the recipients of that fat provide the base of their support. Non-elected officials and bureaucrats also like to spend to increase their influence and they resist cuts to avoid the decrease. Lastly, civil service unions have grown exponentially as industry/business unions faltered since governments can tax and do not have to make a profit. They are embedded in essential public safety services that are difficult to curtail, are overtly political and very aggressive in pursuit of more and more pay and benefits - a quid pro quo for supporting elected officials.

Reducing spending was finally addressed in the second portion of the session using “what ifs”. The bottom line was the shortfall amounts to a 14% across the board reduction. If public safety (Sheriff – Fire/Rescue) is not reduced all other Departments will get a 30% cut. The Sheriff was adamant that he has voluntarily reduced as much as possible in the past two years and “will not willingly cut”. He also believes that his previous savings were offset by increases given to “other departments”, a not-so-vague reference to the new Fire/Rescue contract signed just before last year’s elections.

Our largest disappointment was with the lack of leadership demonstrated by the Commission. Rather than give specific guidance they called for each department to again prioritize where they would cut their budgets and requested a costly pubic survey to determine what services residents want to cut. These will result in the same answers that resulted in bloating at the top and selections made from among false choices. We see no good coming from pitting the Sheriff against Fire Fighters, Parks against the Libraries, one union against another, or one class of worker against another. The answers are cooperation, reorganization, efficiency and reductions in government levels of service. Every organization must participate in the required cutbacks and we will vigorously oppose raising our utility fees, user fees and tax rates until reductions, reorganizations and efficiencies are instituted.

In summary, we believe the Commissioners and Administration know what has to be done and a survey is not needed. They need to cut spending and be more efficient. Unfortunately, reality dictates that our residents are going to have to make do with fewer services and pay more in taxes and fees to maintain the essential ones. This is all to pay overreaching in previous years. Hopefully our new Commission will take charge and do better.

We encourage your comments, criticisms, ideas, or any questions about how your taxes work; call or fax 772-288-0474 or write to us at PO Box 741, Stuart, FL 34995 or e-mail us at admin@mctaxpayers.org or visit our WEB site, mctaxpayers.org.