Your Taxpayers’ Association has had a number of disappointments over the last few weeks. Our July 1 st article asked the County Commission to select a solution to the FAA directed adjustments to Witham Field’s main runway that would not negatively affect the airport’s neighbors, or the County’s taxpayers. Obviously we want safety and efficient use of the facilities. Beyond that we asked that a number of priorities be considered essential in the alternative selected. These included improving the situation for those living northwest of the runway; doing nothing that would degrade the environment of those to the southeast; minimizing the use of County funds and maintaining the financial self sufficiency of the airport.

The solution the Commission selected, while popular among the politically active, violates nearly all of our recommendations. It will shorten the runway to pre-1998 conditions, but will offer little positive result for those living to the northwest, and may delay their current FAA funded buyout/insulation program. It will cause higher noise levels for those to the southeast and has the potential for new lawsuits and expansion of the buyout/insulation program to expensive waterfront properties. The berm near Monterey road will be removed, subjecting the automobiles using it to additional noise as well as visual distractions. The current consultants, who rejected this alternative, were continued to complete work already contracted at full pay. However, another $75,000 is being spent on additional consultants hired to try to sell the Commission’s recommendation to a reluctant FAA. We again ask the County Commission and Administration to review the consequences inherent in the alternative selected. They also need to contemplate the large unintended ones that may result.

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Our next article noted the unexpected announcement of a 20.6% increase in property values by the County’s Tax Appraiser and the potential for millions of dollars in additional property tax revenues. We also noted the softening local housing market that will effectively preclude such windfalls for the foreseeable future. Our recommendation was that the Commission add $4 million to the County’s reserves and return $4 million, in the form of a millage rate reduction, to property owners reeling from high energy costs and insurance premiums. We specifically cautioned against hiring non-essential employees since personnel costs make up the vast majority of our local tax burden and the ratio of government employees to residents in Martin County has risen every year for far too long.

Since that article the Commission approved a budget that added nearly 60 new positions and upgraded 11 more employees from part to full-time. Some of these, especially a number of the 17 requested by the Sheriff’s Department, appear to be justified by the additional prison and court facilities coming on line. There are many others that are at best questionable. One example is the new “Community Development Department” of 11 employees spun-off from the Growth Management Department. This upgrades an Administrator to Director, reassigns a number of current personnel and adds four new employees. The rationale presented is that the Community Redevelopment Agency can then become proactive in the following areas: Community Redevelopment, Housing, Economic Development, Historic Preservation and Urban Design. All of these may be desirable activities. The question is: at what cost? We estimate this department will have a personnel cost of over $1 million per year and an annual budget of $2.7 million has been approved. Can we afford to be that proactive in Community Redevelopment?

The Commission’s 2007 budget is now over $411 million dollars. With 140,000 Martin County residents, THAT AMOUNTS TO ALMOST $3,000 PER RESIDENT PER YEAR OR OVER $8 EVERY DAY FOR EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD IN THE COUNTY. That figure DOES NOT include School Board or city/village budgets.

We cannot sustain this continued growth in local government without damage to our economy. Unfortunately, there appear to be few ways to contain it. One might be the concerted action of our membership and interested readers. Let our officials hear from you. Next to face to face contact, e-mail is probably the most effective way to reach them. They can be identified and reached at www.martin.fl.us. You may also call our office for contact information on any elected/appointed official that affects Martin County taxpayers.