For the County 5 & Sheriff Hunter, It's Time to Regroup: No New Taxes – New Jail on Hold
Posted September 7, 2018 08:20 pm
COLUMBIA
COUNTY, FL – Yesterday evening, fifteen
minutes before the County 5 budget hearing
was gaveled to order, your reporter asked
commissioner elect Rocky Ford what he
thought was going to happen regarding the
tax increase and the county jail. Mr. Ford's
prediction: "They won't raise taxes and the
jail will be put on hold." That is what
happened.
The Budget Hearing: You Are There
Long
time District I Commissioner Ronald Williams
kicked off the discussion: "We said if the
citizen would pass the infrastructure tax we
could switch money around and do away with
the millage increase and there wouldn't be
any increase in taxes. I'm for doin' away
with the millage increase."
Turning to Chairman Tim Murphy, he said,
"Chair, we asked you to be a representative
of this jail for this board. When we talked
about this jail we talked about twenty-five
million dollars. That's it. Twenty-five
million dollars. We're goin' to build a jail
for twenty-five million dollars."
An unidentified commissioner said, "That's all we voted for."
Com. Williams continued, (to Mr. Murphy) "Can we make that commitment to a twenty-five million dollar jail and if so, when will we be able to turn the first shovel of dirt towards this twenty-five million dollar jail? I am not for askin' the taxpayers to pay a increase in taxes and nothin' gonna' be done for another whole year."
Chairman Murphy responded, "I was asked by this board; appointed by this board to work on this committee [county manager, sheriff, and jail administrator] to bring back a price for this jail. As a group, we've been workin' very hard."
"Are we to a point where I can sit here and confidently tell each and every person in here that we can build the jail for twenty-five million? Absolutely not. Can I tell you that it's gonna' be built in the next year? Absolutely not. We've got the mitigation credit issue; a dirt issue; and the sewage issue."
Commissioner Williams followed up, "That's what I needed to know. For me to support a jail it's gonna' cost twenty-five million dollars."
County Manager Ben Scott added, "I can't tell you today 'yes' we can build a jail for twenty-five million dollars and I can't tell you when we're gonna' start it."
Commissioner
Sylvester "Bucky" Nash weighed in, "If you
roll back to the 8.015 [millage rate] you're
gonna' be runnin' a bare bones budget for
the next year. If you do the jail you're
basically gonna' take all your new revenue
and dedicate it towards the jail.
County Manager Scott told The 5 that the way things stood all increases in revenue would be going to fund the jail.
Commissioner DePratter
The Fiscal Conscience of the Board from the
Beginning
Commissioner
DePratter: "There's five businessmen on this
board and we need to act like businessmen...
I see the fact that we have to live within
our means and I think that's what we should
do."
Commissioner
Phillips weighed in: "I'm kinda in agreeance
with Ron and Rusty down there. I think the
County should be utilizin' some of the funds
that's here and there that's kinda'
scattered around that everybody don't see
what they are... I'm not for raising the
millage rate."
Chairman Murphy Leveled-up
Mr.
Murphy told The 5: "We're gonna' stay on the
straight and narrow path. Regardless whether
we build it or not, I'm gonna' bring back to
the taxpayers and the board of commissioners
here, a good plan and a real dollar figure."
(1:26:38)
The Hearing Opened to the Public
Mr. Louis Munoz said, "I'm on a fixed income and I live within my tiny budget, so you need to stop wasting my money. It's not your money."
Retired school teacher Bonnie Foster: "My name is Bonnie Foster. We moved here three years ago. I'm a retired teacher and my husband is semi-retired and had to go to work at Home Depot part time just to make ends meet."
Ms. Foster continued, "I'm not shaking because I'm nervous, but I was recently diagnosed with Parkinson's. I have a problem approving things for jails. Where's the thing for seniors? Where the thing for educators? I'm in favor of a tax rate of no budget changes... I didn't get an increase of Medicare; I didn't get increases in my teacher's retirement. It all goes for medicine and medication and for care... Don't vote for our taxes bein' [increased]. It may not seem much to you all, but when you're talkin' about individual income that does not increase, it is a big deal."
A shortly thereafter, the County 5 voted unanimously to keep the millage rate the same as last year (8.015) and to put the proposed new and unneeded new County jail on hold.
Mr. Foster, who was sitting next to your reporter asked, "What did they just do?"
Your reported answered, "They are not raising the tax rate and the jail is on hold."
Ms. Foster smiled, gathered up her papers, which included her TRIM notice and told your reporter, "I am going to go home and tell my husband. He will be pleased."
Ms. Foster, with some effort, left the meeting and The 5 continued with its other scheduled business.
Epilogue
The second budget hearing will be held on September 20 at 5:30 pm.
Note: some comments abridged.
Photos are file photos.
