Tax Collector mobile unit and office growth

1:25:51of days was about sixty or seventy. We see now six to seven hundred people in that office each day. Um it's overwhelming. We see between fifty and sixty thousand people in our five offices. Uh we are now uh we ex have expanded every one of our offices for the potential of growth, the continuation of growth. Uh we are now purchasing land, we should be closing by the end of the day

1:26:16for land in the Angeline community to build a new office there. Um so um uh Very quickly when I became tax collector, I should say we became tax collector, I'm blessed to have two hundred and twenty-five of the best employees. I call them second to none throughout the state. Um we were in we were in the old days, archaic back then. Uh maybe a few people had voicemail, like two two people in our whole entire organization had voicemail,

1:26:46maybe a half dozen people had a Access to email that has changed dramatically. Our staff was made uh starting salary was nine dollars and twenty-five cents an hour. It's now at twenty dollars an hour. Um we have a call center. Uh we we hear from about the fact I just got the nut the message that we we took a thousand sixty calls yesterday at our call center. Uh something to stress um We have an unbelievable relationship with the county, Mike Carbal and his staff, second to

1:27:16none, uh the county commissioners. You have brought this county to the 21st into the 21st century like like never before. Um We have 625,000 people living in Pasco County now. Um and one of the things that we have strived to do and we've been very successful is to work very closely with our constitutional officers, uh especially with Mike Wells and his staff because uh uh we get about the same phone calls when the tax notices go out and uh we

1:27:46share stories, but we also share ideas and assists. each other. Brian Corley of course, um uh I kid him because we probably register more voters in our offices than he does in his. Uh it's called the motor voter law that was passed many, many years ago. Clerk of the court the same thing. We work very closely with our sheriff as well and and um uh One of the things that that we've we don't rely on is money from the state, the federal government, and from the county. Although

1:28:16the county is very generous. Whenever we need something, they're there helping us. We rely on services. We provide a service to someone We p we charge a fee for that service, whether it be a driver's license, renewing a registration, collecting property taxes, tourist development tax. We do fingerprints now, we do conceal weapon permits, we do Florida birth certificates, we call ourselves a one stop shop. Uh our budget does not go to you of course, it goes to the Department of Revenue each year.

1:28:47They look it over, they have some questions sometimes, but most of the time it's approved without any problems. Um Uh we're trying to do we're doing our best to keep up with the growth in this county. Uh we expect to see of course over the next um teen years we're gonna see about seven hundred and fifty thousand people in in this county and we're prepared. Um I think that's about it. I I'm sure you may have some questions for me. Uh we're excited and uh love what I do. I served in the Florida legislature

1:29:18for almost 20 years, but uh someone asked me the other day, would you ever want to go back? I said absolutely not. Uh I learned something new here as the tax collector. And uh anyway, that's about it. Questions, concerns, if you have any criticisms wait till I leave.

1:29:33Judge, great. Well I just wanted to point out, Mike, uh from the court's perspective, we have the veteran standout. Yes, yes you

1:29:39do.

1:29:45We get out of that system and help them get back on their feet. And we work very closely with Mike's office as far as as far as that goes in processing those driver's license because many times that's all they need is that driver's license.

1:29:57job.

1:29:57They get a job. Yes, sir. And so we work together closely with that. And I just wanted to we're doing that again this Friday and I wanted to extend a thank you for you and your office for being so uh gracious about working with us on that and being so effective.

1:30:11Thank you, Judge. And we'll be there again. One of the things that we brought into our county recently is a um A mobile, a mobile Unix. We are now able to take this mobile unit to our assisted living facilities, to our nursing homes, out to when we have uh programs helping our veterans, we can take it there. and get them their ID and get them their driver's license, especially with our seniors, seniors who might be in a nursing home That's they're not capable of coming to our office. Uh so we go

1:30:41out there, make sure they get the uh that ID, at least that ID renewed so they can get their pharmaceutical drugs, and of course our veterans. Our veterans are key, uh helping them make sure they get they take whatever tests they need, getting that license so they can get to work the next day. Yes, sir. And Judge, by the way, I went to Gulf High School as well. But a lot lot more years before than you went, I'm sure. So uh

1:31:06Commissioner Weightman. Thank you, Chair. Yeah, just my first budget cycle. I was sure glad that I had a bell to be for to return our budget and decide to see you know it's really a sign of how well you operate and how much you bring back to us. And and since you guys have taken over service is just impeccable morale within the organization is high and uh appreciate the level of service and outreach and and accessibility to uh all the folks in Pasco

1:31:36County. You guys touch everyone and uh hats off to your team and thank you for all you do.

1:31:41Bless you. Yeah our our average wait time is under ten minutes as we see six close to sixty thousand people each month and I'm blessed and truly blessed with the staff we have. We have fun. We enjoy what we do and uh And uh I'm happy to see that the uh the the the le the governor signed a bill the other day that uh the tax collectors can give out bonuses to our employees now and offer them some uh some state uh programs. If they adopt a child, they're gonna get they're gonna get assistance from the state. Uh so that's gonna help

1:32:11as well as our staff who want to get involved, more involved. So that's uh

1:32:16historically

1:32:17well I I I think

1:32:18Why am I not surprised if you have

1:32:21for running just a stellar stellar program? I mean we hear it from our constituents all the time how how how efficient and wonderful this program is. And this multi unit is amazing. Yeah. And I wanna suggest that this be one of the um programs that we offer up to NATO uh for their uh awards. call right now. Um oh yes. So the National Association of Counties is coming to Tampa this this year. It's meets once a year around the the country and

1:32:52um that's such an innovative idea that I want to um share it with the other counties around the country and certainly want to nominate that for one of our

1:33:06nursing homes uh and our senior citizens are so grateful and it's wonderful uh meeting with them and uh and making sure they have that most of them it's I Ds, uh getting that I D renew renewed so they can uh you know They have it. And that's key. Because everyone needs an ID. I mean they just do. God forbid they have to go from one nursing home to another, go to the hospital, go to a a new doctor, the first thing they're asked for is their ID and they'll have one now.

1:33:36And do you register them to vote or

1:33:39Well I'm gonna tell you a story. This is a true story. Uh we do not. Unless they require Well, we have we are by law. By law we have to ask them as a list of questions. One of them is, do you want to register to vote? Or do you want to change your voter uh registration? Similar questions like that. We ask them all kinds of questions. Do you want to be a poll worker? Things like that. It is required under the motor voter law.

1:34:10I had a call from someone which was r absolutely amazing to me. Um It's wild out there that they read where we have this motorboat I mean this mobile unit going to the nursing homes and she was quite upset. quite upset that and she and her friends had read this in the paper, they were very upset. And I said, Why are you upset, ma'am? And she kept saying, Well this is you don't need to do this. I said, Well it's for our nurs a nursing home, our ill uh elderly and those who can't come to our office and It came down to and I

1:34:40won't tell you um uh what party she belonged to, but she said Well really what's gonna happen is you're gonna get people who will get registered to vote and the such and such party will get them to vote at vote absentee. That's that was her rationale. And you shake your head. because we want to help senior citizens and the invalid who can't get to our office and getting an ID card. This person and her friends were more concerned about

1:35:10in someone registering to vote and ordering an absentee ballot twiled. But uh

1:35:19Thank you very much. God bless you. Oh yes, Commissioner.

1:35:26So thanks for all you've done. Um and I and I appreciate especially the seniors that need a handicapped card, how easy you guys make that. Yeah. Uh I got one from my mother a few months back and it was really nice. Um but I also would like to say between you and Judge Crane, between Career Central, M skills, whatever, when you get those people that are working to get the license and they're working for a job, we're happy to put resources together to help them.

1:35:51Absolutely. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Thank you.

1:35:55Well, since I'm last year,

1:35:59join the the team.

1:36:00I would like to thank you uh for all you do for the citizen of Pasco County.

1:36:04Thank you.

1:36:05I am very grateful and thankful of what you do for your employees and for the outreach you have to accept new employees. Yes,

1:36:14sir.

1:36:14And how you mentor in them to do their job. And I I first PR work and everything inside your office and all and social beings of those folks. Yes sir.

1:36:29Thank you very much. Thank you. I think so.

1:36:35Well I'm blessed. I don't want to take I don't take the credit. It's uh I'm just you know when I got to the office I wanted to make some changes and we've been successful with uh with the people that we that I you know, I I I guess uh m many leaders many leaders talk about it's important who you surround yourself with and you've all done the same thing. You have a wonderful staff, whether it be our constitutions, and uh we're we're all very blessed. But thank you very much, sir.

1:37:00But uh really I mean as a county commissioner and we'll only we only uh hired two people. And the rest of 'em work for our Akas and Yes. Mr. Kavala.

1:37:15Yes.

1:37:16So the fact of it is we all have good staff. And thank goodness that we do because we couldn't carry on the business we have to do in Pasco County without good staff and people with good attitudes doing the work. Yes sir. So it takes all of us.

1:37:31Absolutely. Yes sir. Thank you very much.

1:37:32Thank you for being here.

1:37:33God bless you. Yeah.