On September 13, the Tallahassee City Commission will conduct the first of two public hearings to consider the approval of the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) budget and and an increase in the millage rate. The FY24 operating budget totals $868.4 million, and the FY24 Capital Improvement Plan totals $253 million.
This budget is said to address inflation challenges, affordable housing, mental health services, public safety and the commission’s direction on priorities.
According to staff, the FY24 balanced budget allocates resources to priorities established by the City Commission which includes increasing the Tallahassee Police Department’s budget by 14% ($9.5 million) to reduce violent crime. The additional funding will add 20 new officers, provide investment for advanced video software and artificial intelligence technology, and fund wage increases.
The FY24 budget will also raise full-time and OPS employees to a $16 per hour minimum wage. This will be the second year in a row that the Commission has approved a 5% across-the-board pay increase for employees.
This budget will also further capital improvements projects such as, the second Senior Center, the Southside Transit Center, the Fire Station at Lake Bradford and numerous sidewalk and road projects. Additionally, the budget will invest $7.8 million in wrap-around public safety initiatives including, TEMPO, TEAM, TFLA, neighborhood safety programs, gun violence neighborhood mitigation, the real time crime center, and the Council on the Status of Men and Boys.
Staff states that to achieve the city priorities, the Commission approved an increase in the millage rate to 4.50 at the June 14th budget workshop meeting. However, on July 1, the property appraiser released the final taxable property values which increased by 7.76%. Due to the increased revenue from increase property values and other changes, the proposed budget recommends a millage rate of 4.45.
City Commission to Consider FY 2024 Budget, Property Tax Increase added by Tristyn Leigh on
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@Pat A:
Sorry, but you must have learned math at one of our skrewels.
That would be $6 per ride, for which Star Metro charges $1.25 – still an abject Econ 101 failure.
Taxahassee should be running smaller buses on routes where historical data confirms lower ridership. And what about having a stop at the airport?
Has the taxi lobby blocked that? Well, Uber got around it if they did.
Can anyone name another US city’s INTERNATIONAL airport where the buses don’t stop?
Does everyone realize the current salaries of some of the employees?
City Manager, Reese Goad, $295,767 – 472% over average
City Attorney, Cassandra Jackson, $$263,142 – 409% over average
Deputy City Manager, Cynthia Barber, $247,353 – 379% over average
Asst. City Manager, David Tedder, $236,032 – 357% over average
Gen. Mgr. Electrice & Gas, $226,319 – 338% over average
These are just the top 5 that I pulled from the website and we have 4 Asst. City Managers all over $200K. This is disgusting how much we are paying in salaries and they want more of our money. Can you please do an article on all the administrative employees and their salaries so people can see just how much is being wasted? These wages need to be adjusted in line with other reasonable city employees and streamline duties to cut some unnecessary positions.
How are seniors on fixed income to come up with this huge increase in taxes? As far as that goes, how are young families who are doing well to put food on the table (thanks to inflation and a huge sales tax) going to pay this additional tax? Some of us will see our property tax doubled. I’m frightened. How am I going to pay this???
We the people demand to see the results of this year’s detailed audit. Out of control spending leads to higher and higher property taxes year over year. The new budget increase has to be rejected by all measures. .
Did I do the math correctly? 9 million dollars yearly budget for Star Metro divide by 1.5 million yearly riders means each ride provided cost the taxpayers $6000.00. Brilliant!!!
Sigh….this Bidenomics just opens more and more of y’all’s elected officials oppurtunities for (real or manufactured) property tax hikes.
Too bad there’s absloutly nothing anyone can or will do about it.
Hey wait a minute, Ladies and Gentelmen I present to you your Mayor Elect: The Hard Working Good Looking Snidely Whiplash!!!!
The croud goes wild as former Mayor Flintstone slinks out of the Grand Ballroom a tear visably running down his face. Jack and Jeremy break down and cry like babies falling out on the floor kicking and screaming NOooooo NOT Snidely NOT Snidely Not……………..
Ref: “ Additionally, the budget will invest $7.8 million in wrap-around public safety initiatives including, TEMPO, TEAM, TFLA, neighborhood safety programs, gun violence neighborhood mitigation, the real time crime center, and the Council on the Status of Men and Boys.”
The vast majority of Tallahassee’s crime is committed by Black People. And the COT seems oblivious to it while they increase taxes on law abiding people already being stressed by Bidenomics. How come a group of people feel it is perfectly normal to commit crimes? Today In Gadsden County Court a 21 year old, three time convicted felon who is black faces three additional felony charges arising from entering a person’s home then trying to kill him with a pistol. Now why did he think that was acceptable conduct? Affordable Housing is just the latest name for the ghetto. And don’t even get me started on how blacks kill dozens of blacks almost daily in Chicago gatherings little news coverage but if one white guy kills a black guy in self defense or making an arrest we get rioting in the streets. IMO all the money being thrown at the crime ridden black community only feeds the problem and helps Democrats get elected. Until working for a living creates a better life than welfare, crime will get worse.
The problems of crime, unwed mothers, drugs, school dropouts and recidivism in the black community isn’t a new problem. It has been this way for decades. The big change is how democrats have exploited the black community by throwing billions of dollars at the problem with the primary goal of getting votes.
The solution to the problem is cut welfare benefits, stop giving away free cell phones, reduce food stamp benefits and require photo ID to use them, end free internet and cable tv and require work.
As far as “Affordable Housing”, there is no such thing anymore. The ONLY way there is “Affordable Housing” is if we, the Tax Payers, pay for it.
Hey Steve, can you please do an in-depth Article on the public safety initiatives including, TEMPO, TEAM, TFLA, neighborhood safety programs, gun violence neighborhood mitigation, the real time crime center, and the Council on the Status of Men and Boys and tell us if they are actually doing any good or are they just throwing Good Money after Bad? I would really like to know as I am sure many others would too. Personally, I think they are just throwing Good Money after Bad.