In Your Corner
by the Martin County Taxpayers Association (MCTA)
This is the first of what will be a regular series of columns prepared by
the Martin County Taxpayers Association (MCTA) and presented courtesy of
the Stuart News.
The MCTA was founded in 1950 and our mission statement is: To study the
tax situation in Martin County, Florida; to work with the public officials
and boards toward economy and efficiency in the operation of the government
of Martin County and other political bodies in the county; to improve, extend,
and place upon a safe and more permanent foundation the general tax program
of the communities and county; and that is still our goal.
The MCTA is not merely a round-table discussion group; we work. In the past,
the MCTA has promoted such things as a water management board, standardized
building codes, and a study of indigent hospital patient financing. Unlike
elected and appointed officials who may change with elections, the presence
of our organization is consistent.
Currently, we have volunteers actively monitoring most of the county departments
and constitutional offices. Our volunteers are using the zero based budget
format we introduced a year ago. Government is expensive. This budget process
will help reduce costs and improve accountability if properly used.
Our volunteers are working with the school board, not just on the budget,
but on ways to reduce spending while maintaining a budget without borrowing
from the future. This is very important since the school district requires
a large percentage of our county taxes and the work they do determines our
future.
Other MCTA volunteers are monitoring how the money raised from the recently
approved sales tax increase and bond issue will be spent. We are also interested
in reviewing other projects which require current or future tax dollars.
We meet with county department heads, county administrators, constitutional
officers, and county commissioners. We ask pointed questions about current
and future projects. Our board of directors periodically takes positions
on projects. We will discuss the issue, both pro and con, enabling you to
become a more informed taxpayer.
Working with the various governmental bodies as we do, we discover many
interesting things. We will share our insight with you and solicit your
comments and ideas. We will not support any candidate for any
office; our bylaws do not allow such endorsements. However, we will point
out the results, good or bad, of actions taken by elected or appointed county
officials.
The MCTA is pleased to have nearly 800 dues-paying members and would like
to add you to that list. Regardless of membership, if you are a taxpayer
in Martin County, we try to represent you.
Your assistance is crucial. The MCTA is a volunteer organization and the
projects we have chosen to undertake are very time consuming. We currently
need more people to review the departmental budgets. If you
have budgetary experience at the executive level and want to contribute,
we have work for you! We gratefully accept any assistance.
We encourage your comments, criticisms, ideas, or any questions about how
your taxes work; call 288-0474 or write to us at P.O. Box 741, Stuart, FL
34995 or E-Mail us at admin@mctaxpayers.org or visit our WEB site,
http://www.mctaxpayers.org.