At the next City Commission meeting on Wednesday, September 22, 2021, City Commissioners will consider an amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with Leon County which will result in a $3 million contribution by the County to the fire services fund.
Also, the City Commission will consider an update on a fire services rate study.
On September 9, 2020, the City Commission approved Resolution 20-R-33, which increases the fire services fees and assessments by 15% in FY22 with subsequent increases of 1.5% or the CPI adjustment, whichever is greater, through FY25.
In consideration of the financial impacts citizens experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, rate changes for the FY21 were delayed.
The Tallahassee City Manager and the Leon County Administrator have negotiated a proposed fifth amendment to the Interlocal Agreement related to fire service fees.
Based on the negotiation, the County will increase its contribution by approximately $1.4 million in FY22 for its share of services, followed by a $1.6 million contribution increase in FY23.
Also, the City and County will agree to conduct a joint fire services fee study and present recommendations during the FY24 budget development process for any fee adjustments to be made in FY24 or subsequent years.
The Tallahassee Fire Department is contracting with Government Services Group, Inc. (GSG) to conduct the rate study. The study is to be completed in time for the FY24 budget development process.
City staff notes that GSG is one of only a few firms in the state of Florida with expertise conducting fire services assessments and fees, it is a local firm and the City has contracted with them on several occasions.
Fire services assessments and fees were established in 2000. Since then, the assessments and fees were updated in accordance with rate studies in 2004, 2010 and 2015.
With 15% Fee Increase, Leon County to Contribute $3 Million to Fire Service Fund added by Lynsey Kirk on
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Edward this is almost the same amount the School District has stopped paying. The state, FSU, TCC etc are exempt from this. In all actuality everyone in the City is. The only reason it is collected on Leon County residents tax bills is they mostly have Talquin. Look at the lawsuit Gainesville is fighting, they may have already lost? You can’t collect a tax through utility bills. Who is this saving?? Is it easier to hide money in the Utilities section, than a tax??? Follow the money?
I listened to the Preston Scott one morning and he explained why you will never own the property you bought. Fees and taxes that can levied against you and your property, ie house, can levied or seized, means you don’t own it. The government, local, state or federal, owns it. If you miss so many fee payments, a lien will be placed against your property by the county.
And remember, this 15% fire assessment fee was brought to you by politicians who wanted to avoid the impression they were raising your property taxes a few back. So, whatever tax break you think you are going to get from “Leave Behind Joe” our county commissions will gladly take instead of cutting crap out of the budget. Raising taxes during an economic disaster that is being created is just stupid. Email your commissioners.
Bill Proctor, Rick Minor, Kristin Dozier, Carolyn Cummings, Jimbo Jackson, Brian Welch and Nick Maddox.
https://www2.leoncountyfl.gov/bccemail/
The firemen are among some of the hardest working, kindest, necessary entities that should receive adequate funding no questions asked. When a fireman goes to the city and wants an accounting of funds and is told to Stand Down by the city manager, that should trigger an automatic audit, immediately.
I believe the fireman is a hero for asking and I believe his brothers and sisters in the department and the citizenry should see that he gets his accounting of funds that he requested.
Also, it should trigger an immediate investigation as to City Manager Reese Goad’s reaction to the request.
The investigation should include this additional funding as are they filtering money into an account to cover for some misused funds? Is the County Administrator complicit with the City Manager in some way.
This reaction by Reese Goad and the recent inappropriate speech by the local State Attorney Jack Campbell are two glaring examples of misuse of their positions and blatant intimidation.
And they both need to be held accountable as the City and County Commissioners should in no way shape or form tolerate this behavior.
Sorry… type-o
Should read.. “… are the two most exploited terms by the (DemoKKKrats)…”
Public Safety and the “Children” are the two most exploited terms by the , in order to confiscate and waste our tax dollars. Ironically, they couldn’t care less about either…but they know how to use them as a means to their nefarious intent.
This is also why I believe that it is imperative that the voting rule be changed such that only those who pay property taxes should be allowed to vote on local property tax related initiatives. Transient college kids and dead beat renters should not be allowed to impact a local community’s development. They have no long term or true vested interest in the results of their vote. Useful idiots to the political class is all.
One Word: AUDIT!!
That’s how they get you, they take money they already got from you to support this service and blow it on stuff you don’t care about. Then they increase this fee because who would not want to support our fire service? David Copperfield would be proud.
@ David T
Look at your “Notice of Proposed Property Taxes.” The CSC tax is already in that 2021 summary.
No plan, no leadership, no idea what they are or will be doing, but for sure you’ll be giving CSC your hard-earned money. Isn’t that simply wonderful.?
This is an interesting dance to be sure.
@ Hope… I think you’re absolutely on to it. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the issue with the service fee, the fireman, and the City Manager seemed to quietly disappear… and then this windfall suddenly comes into play. No doubt they are connected in some way. Make no mistake about it… the Maddox matter didn’t put an end to corruption and cover-ups. Tip of the iceberg, as they say.
@ Jim… there is too much government-owned and tax-exempt property and land in Tallahassee and Leon to utilize annual property tax (your TRIM Notice) as a funding source. So they use the utility bills as a funding source mechanism instead.
When does the Property Tax Increase kick in for the “Not Needed CSC”?
What happened to the audit of the fire services fee and a fireman who wanted accountability and city manager Reese Goad threatened the fireman to stand down and not ask questions?
Why don’t they contribute from the current assessments instead of diverting the funds for other uses? As far as I’m concerned, the fire service.fee.is already in our property taxes.