Thursday, 15 September 2011 06:13 Written by Matt Nye

The Brevard County Commission voted 3-2 Tuesday night after the first budget hearing to increase the millage rate from 6.21 mils to 7.24 mils. Turnout for the hearing was high; at one point the entire building was standing room only.

Members from groups throughout the county staged a protest in front of the entrance to the government building, dozens spoke against the increase before the board, and more than 2,500 signed petitions opposing the increase were presented to the commission, but Commissioners Bolin, Fisher and Nelson were unmoved. Commissioner Fisher went so far as to completely discount the petitions presented by saying if people were really opposed to the increase, they should have come to the meeting.

The meeting opened with the usual farce about how the millage rate increase isn't really a tax increase because property values have declined and two thirds of property owners would see a net decrease in their tax bill. Of course County Manager Tipton failed to point out all of those tax bills would have been 16.5% lower than under the 7.24 mil rate.

Supporters of the increase put forth the false alternative that we must raise taxes or cut essential services like public safety and infrastructure; none mentioned the spectacular waste we have seen - things like $10 million no bid AT&T contracts (2009), putting the county in the waterfront business (ala the Crab Shack), giving away valuable real estate to local municipalities (ala Max K Rhodes park); nope - our only option is to gut the sheriff and fire rescue.

The final budget hearing is set for September 27th.

Thursday, 28 July 2011 05:59 Written by Matt Nye

Newsflash: if you increase the property tax millage rate, you are in fact raising taxes.

Sounds obvious, right? Not according to Florida Statue, several of our sitting County Commissioners and the editorial board of the Florida Today.

Florida’s Truth in Millage Law defines a tax increase as any tax rate that generates more revenue than the prior year as a tax increase. This definition is deeply flawed for a couple of reasons, and if applied to other tax mechanisms would leave taxpayers open to crushing tax increases across the board to maintain the size of government regardless of what is happening in the economy.

Several of our Commissioners and the Editorial Board of the Florida Today gleefully point to the Truth in Millage statute as proof the County and School Board have not raised taxes. Matt Reid just wrote about it here.

In addition to referencing the state statute, Commissioners Fisher and Nelson have repeatedly pointed out that because *not everyone’s* tax bill will increase as a result of the millage increase, rolling back the millage rate to maintain last year’s revenue isn’t actually a tax increase.

Here’s the twisted logic put forth by Commissioners Fisher at the July 21st budget workshop meeting: