The Hernando County Board of County Commissioners seems to have taken a queue from Wal-Mart and unanimously voted to “roll back” impact fees to 2001 levels, a 47% decline from current fees. The preliminary approval will be further discussed during a public hearing on November 10, after which you can be fairly certain that Rollerball ink pens will be in motion with one hundred percent accuracy, albeit with poor penmanship.
Freshman Commissioner James Adkins was apparently chosen to broach the subject as his timidity inferred an initiation into a fraternity of elitists. His sense of relief for the accomplishment was evident with the quick and easy retreat against the back of his chair. Mr. Adkins proved himself a valuable team player.
Commissioner Rose Rocco charmed in with similar support, pointing out that targeted construction sites would be located in vacant lots and be of little impact to the immediate roadways. But, since when are county impact fees micromanaged? No wonder residents living on lime rock roads are always left in the dust of government spending.
Next up was another rookie player on a roster of write thinking members among the board of Hernando County trustees, John Druzbick. He effectively rolled a punt to veteran Commissioner David Russell who, with statesman-like conduct, gave nods of approval before begrudgingly gave way to Mr. October, Commissioner Jeff Stabins.
Mr. Stabins provided a slideshow pointing out that over the past few years County Commissioners had approved a glut of housing projects beyond the need of a community whose economic sustainability of growth didn’t support responsible planning with low-paying jobs being the mainstay of employment.
A well-crafted segue into the benefits of securing a loan from the county to boost his efforts to continue the Housing Enhancement Loan Program (HELP) was met with resistance but Stabins’ leverage to deliver a consensus vote on the matter of lowing impact fees was very effective and the request will be considered during the November 10 hearing. The $600,000 loan matched the estimated lost revenue from reducing impact fees but the loan would be repaid but the loss of impact fees would be forever.
Calm and collected, community activist Janey Baldwin pointed out the misguided waste of giving away government revenue to the benefit of the select group of self-serving building contractors. Former Planning & Zoning Commissioner Anthony Palmieri was less kind, chastising the Board for considering an option that will benefit very few residents and short-change the county’s need for every source of income available.
Both of these civic-minded residents had made similar comments during the October 6 board meeting when discussion included suspending impact fees altogether. As was then, board members refused to take notice of their concerns.
When the time came to make the motion to schedule a public hearing, Commissioner Druzbick haphazardly attempted to verbalize a motion to put the measure up for a vote, he was prompted with the help of Russell to make residential, mobile home, commercial and industrial impact fees rolled back to 2001 levels. Adkins readily seconded the motion and before you knew it there was a unanimous decision to carry the issue to the next step – the public hearing.
Commissioners repeatedly claimed that Hernando County expenditures are “similar to a 2001 budget” and “we’re living at that level now in 2009.”
Let me display some numbers. The 2010 proposed budget is $324.7M while in 2004 the budget was $279.6M and $51.9M in that often-mentioned year 2001.
Also, from the Hernando County Government official website, “Total General Government Expenditures” were $29.5M (2001), $113.9M (2004) and $147.5M (2008).
And, Property Tax Revenue was $40M (2001), $54M (2004) and $85M (2008), a retreat from $90M in 2007.
Times have changed considerably since 2001 but we, as a nation and a county, cannot resort to living in a past economy. Otherwise, constructions workers would be working at a median hourly wage of $11.57 instead of the $13.71 last year. And Hernando County firefighter-medics earning $47,500 in 2008 would roll back to the 2001 income of $40,000.
Also, take into consideration the rising costs of construction materials.
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reported that between August and September of this year there were significant price increases in copper (10%), aluminum (2%), and steel (3%). All three products are essential components for the vast majority of construction projects. AGC also predicted by the end of 2009 lumber prices will drop 7% with a 4% increase in concrete and, of major concern to county expenditures, an anticipated 33% increase in the cost of asphalt.
This is not 2001. County revenue is declining as I write and will continue to do for an undetermined period of time. County expenditures will require further budget cuts. Reducing impact fees will serve no purpose to the majority of Hernando County residents.
Showing posts with label impact fees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label impact fees. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Iggy and Addy Impact Connection
Iggy, as in Hernando County’s ignominious mogul-maniac of home building construction interests, must be sitting on the edge of a cement block drooling on bib overalls at the prospects of the Florida Legislature circumventing the duties entrusted to the Dept of Community Affairs. Dressed in hip-high wading boots and prepared to wallow through nature’s wetlands waiting for the mud to dry from drought conditions and further depletion of water supplies from years of uncontrolled development, Iggy is ready to build.
Senator Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has proposed Senate Bill 730, which would dismantle the DCA and shovel the agency’s intended oversight of growth management onto the shoulders of the Florida Department of State.
Going back to the days of Jeb, in 2003 there was also a push-to-shove strategy to establish a Dept of State and Community Partnerships, an attempt to roll the two departments into one. It was thwarted by public outcry. Die-hard Florida Republicans, and their “government gone wild-horses for untamed development” prose, have since undermined the office of DCA Secretary Thomas G. Pelham by eliminating key positions, including eight this past year.
Under the DCA, growth management concerns require a review of areas “containing… environmental or natural resources of regional or statewide importance, including, but not limited to, state or federal parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, aquatic preserves, major rivers and estuaries, state environmentally endangered lands”.
As stated by Secretary Pelham, without this oversight, encroachment in the Miami-Dade area would put into jeopardy restoration efforts of the Everglades. Ecosystems statewide would be permanently disrupted.
SB 730 would allow local goverments to bypass state review on changes to growth plans.
Another piece of legislative handiwork is SB 630 which would put a three year moritorium on impact fees.
If that’s not enough to ponder, consider the millions of dollars that would become taxpayer’s responsibility under SB 580/HB 227 which would put the burden of proof on local governments to substantiate proposed impact fees. We’re talking taxpayers paying court costs. We’re talking about the loss of fees that go toward providing infrastructure funding for roads, parks, libraries and fire/EMS services.
Where in Florida, or the US for that matter, is new home construction truly warranted? Nationwide, the number of vacant homes is estimated at 19 million. They remain uninhabited, available to qualified buyers, whoever they may be in this topsy-turvy economy.
The number of vacant homes in Florida hovers around 300,000 and accounts for a good 15% of the nationwide total. And yet SB 730 would pave the way for newly constructed homes.
If SB 730 should become law, Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning would hold much of the responsibilities currently handled by the DCA. The Dept of State currently consists of the Divisions of Administrative Services, Corporations, Cultural Affairs, Elections, Historical Resources, and Library and Information Services.
What’s freaky about this whole matter is that Browning was reportedly unaware of the possible changes until Bennet made public the intentions of SB 730. No wonder the department’s response was one of delayed reaction as time is required to review the affect on the assumptive operational costs and organizational requirements.
No disrepect to Secretary Browning, but as it stands, he simply isn’t qualified to oversee such an expansion of duties. There’s little doubt that without an expressed willingness to play along with scripted, unquestioned loyalty to building interests, the alternative, as suggested by Sen. Bennett, would be to disperse DCA responsiblities to other departments willing to skip along to the cheesy tunes of the panhandling Pied Pipers of T-town.
The largest of Hernando County impact fees is for schools which, at $4266, accounts for nearly half the approximate figure of $9200 depending on the fire district in which the home is built. On a $200K 30-year mortgage it amounts to less than $30 per month. Impact fees are a minor expense to the purchase price of a home.
School impact fees are already said to be insufficient to meet future needs, without which we may as well put up a sign No Kids Allowed. No more grandfathers; better yet, no grandfather clause.
Back on the homefront, not only would Iggy be pleased if any of Senate Bills 580/630/730 were to become the law of the land of sunshine but, as though in concert with the efforts of Sen. Bennett, Hernando County homebuilders’ cue ball Addy has proposed that local impact fees be decommissioned. He wanted it rush-rush, hush-hush – no procedural discussion.
If impact fees aren’t garnered from impact fees, it will be taxpayers who must pay the bills. How would lost revenues be replaced? Higher sales taxes would bring out the crybabies of businesses. What about increased homeowner property taxes? What about a state income tax? The moneys will have to be appropriated from some source. Guess who?
Senator Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, has proposed Senate Bill 730, which would dismantle the DCA and shovel the agency’s intended oversight of growth management onto the shoulders of the Florida Department of State.
Going back to the days of Jeb, in 2003 there was also a push-to-shove strategy to establish a Dept of State and Community Partnerships, an attempt to roll the two departments into one. It was thwarted by public outcry. Die-hard Florida Republicans, and their “government gone wild-horses for untamed development” prose, have since undermined the office of DCA Secretary Thomas G. Pelham by eliminating key positions, including eight this past year.
Under the DCA, growth management concerns require a review of areas “containing… environmental or natural resources of regional or statewide importance, including, but not limited to, state or federal parks, forests, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, aquatic preserves, major rivers and estuaries, state environmentally endangered lands”.
As stated by Secretary Pelham, without this oversight, encroachment in the Miami-Dade area would put into jeopardy restoration efforts of the Everglades. Ecosystems statewide would be permanently disrupted.
SB 730 would allow local goverments to bypass state review on changes to growth plans.
Another piece of legislative handiwork is SB 630 which would put a three year moritorium on impact fees.
If that’s not enough to ponder, consider the millions of dollars that would become taxpayer’s responsibility under SB 580/HB 227 which would put the burden of proof on local governments to substantiate proposed impact fees. We’re talking taxpayers paying court costs. We’re talking about the loss of fees that go toward providing infrastructure funding for roads, parks, libraries and fire/EMS services.
Where in Florida, or the US for that matter, is new home construction truly warranted? Nationwide, the number of vacant homes is estimated at 19 million. They remain uninhabited, available to qualified buyers, whoever they may be in this topsy-turvy economy.
The number of vacant homes in Florida hovers around 300,000 and accounts for a good 15% of the nationwide total. And yet SB 730 would pave the way for newly constructed homes.
If SB 730 should become law, Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning would hold much of the responsibilities currently handled by the DCA. The Dept of State currently consists of the Divisions of Administrative Services, Corporations, Cultural Affairs, Elections, Historical Resources, and Library and Information Services.
What’s freaky about this whole matter is that Browning was reportedly unaware of the possible changes until Bennet made public the intentions of SB 730. No wonder the department’s response was one of delayed reaction as time is required to review the affect on the assumptive operational costs and organizational requirements.
No disrepect to Secretary Browning, but as it stands, he simply isn’t qualified to oversee such an expansion of duties. There’s little doubt that without an expressed willingness to play along with scripted, unquestioned loyalty to building interests, the alternative, as suggested by Sen. Bennett, would be to disperse DCA responsiblities to other departments willing to skip along to the cheesy tunes of the panhandling Pied Pipers of T-town.
The largest of Hernando County impact fees is for schools which, at $4266, accounts for nearly half the approximate figure of $9200 depending on the fire district in which the home is built. On a $200K 30-year mortgage it amounts to less than $30 per month. Impact fees are a minor expense to the purchase price of a home.
School impact fees are already said to be insufficient to meet future needs, without which we may as well put up a sign No Kids Allowed. No more grandfathers; better yet, no grandfather clause.
Back on the homefront, not only would Iggy be pleased if any of Senate Bills 580/630/730 were to become the law of the land of sunshine but, as though in concert with the efforts of Sen. Bennett, Hernando County homebuilders’ cue ball Addy has proposed that local impact fees be decommissioned. He wanted it rush-rush, hush-hush – no procedural discussion.
If impact fees aren’t garnered from impact fees, it will be taxpayers who must pay the bills. How would lost revenues be replaced? Higher sales taxes would bring out the crybabies of businesses. What about increased homeowner property taxes? What about a state income tax? The moneys will have to be appropriated from some source. Guess who?
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