The local budget debate, over the proposed property tax increase, has taken many twist and turns and final approval is still more than a month away. The recent 3-2 vote to tentatively approve a 23% increase in property taxes leaves the door open for more debate. The City has gone to great lengths to justify […]
UPDATE: On July 27, 2015 the Tallahassee Democrat reported “The city of Tallahassee approved a $2.6-million settlement earlier this month. Shelley estimates a net payment of $1.5 to $1.6 million after legal costs.” The City Attorney for Tallahassee, Lew Shelley, contacted Tallahassee Reports late this afternoon and said that the net payment information reported by […]
A recent hearing before Circuit judge Angela Dempsey addressing the Killearn golf course litigation, provided some clarity on one issue, dismissed another, and relegated the final solution over “disputed issue of material fact” to another day. Judge Dempsey ruled that if it is determined that the owner of the golf course triggers or has triggered […]
At the July meeting of the City’s Ethics Board, the General Counsel position was filled by a lawyer who is employed by a law firm that has been awarded contracts by the City Commission totaling approximately $800,000. The action, initiated by Chair Lila Jaber, is raising questions about the independence of the Board, which was established […]
Current Superintendent Jackie Pons has told Tallahassee Reports he will file to run for re-election at the end of this month or the first week in August. “I look forward to talking about the positive things with our school district and my leadership. We have one of the highest performing school districts in the state […]
Tallahassee Reports recently posted a story on the 21% increase in spending requested by Mayor Gillum’s office in the proposed 2016 City of Tallahassee budget. The full story, with video from the budget workshop where City Commissioner Scott Maddox asked about the increase, can be seen here. Now we have more details about the increase. Tallahassee Reports […]
Tallahassee Reports has learned that Mayor Andrew Gillum is seeking a 21% increase in the Mayor’s office budget in 2016.The increase would be funded through a portion of the proposed property tax increase. A review of the budget shows that in 2015 the Mayor’s office, when you remove the City’s lobbying contract which is a pass […]
In an exclusive interview with Tallahassee Reports, Steven Slade, the President of the Big Bend Chapter of the Florida PBA, voiced his frustration with City officials and their portrayal of the property tax increase in the local media. On Sunday the Tallahassee Democrat published an editorial asking the City to reconsider the proposed property tax […]
It is time to get real! Yesterday at the City Budget workshop , Commissioner Nancy Miller made an impassioned plea for a 27% increase in property taxes- her rationale: it is not much money when compared to the money shes pays for comcast cable. She said “we are fighting over $10 per month for many […]
When City Manager Anita Favors released her proposed budget last month for FY 2016, which includes a 27% increase in property taxes, her press release called the proposal a “public safety budget.” The press release detailed the increase in positions for public safety and also mentioned the $500,000 allocated for street resurfacing. However, one item […]