Fiscal year twenty-seven budget and MSTU discussion

2:15:09So we convened the have these funny workshops.

2:15:26And Mike, you wanna lead it off or?

2:15:28Well I was just gonna introduce our budget director, uh Amy Farrell here, who uh or affectionately known as accurate Amy, uh to lead us in a conversation regarding uh the fiscal year twenty seven budget. Amy.

2:15:42All right, so let's jump into our agenda. We're gonna talk high-level about the budget cycle, where what work has been accomplished, what work is still left to be accomplished. We're gonna walk through the strategic priorities that the board has set for us through this budget cycle. Uh we'll talk about some budget efficiencies that we've seen over the years that the team's worked on. Um some pretty stellar operational improvements. We'll walk through um what we know our expenses to be, those pressures on our budgets, the underlying assumptions. We'll

2:16:13have a discussion on the general fund and of course we'll talk about our approach to taxation and millage rates.

2:16:21Alright, so there's not a whole lot that's changed from the past few times that you guys have seen this live. January, we start talking strategic priorities. February, we start talking revenues. A lot of work happens behind the scenes with our departments to really sharpen the pencils on the needs that they have for the upcoming year. And then we come back here and we brief you all and say how are we doing in terms of hearing the strategic priorities and building a budget around them? And then talking through any challenges or pressures that we know are on the horizon. One change this year is we did combine, as

2:16:51you saw this morning, our constitutional office or budget workshop with our board workshop. Again, just a very unique cycle, and so had to maintain maximum flexibility and pivot on some timing. And then, as Mike said, we did split the content of the typical workshop you would see in June. And we'll be discussing capital at a later date to make sure we have time to really focus on the operational challenges. that we're facing. And then we'll come back in July and we'll set trim and we'll talk a little

2:17:21bit about that process later today. And then we will adopt the final budget in September.

2:17:29All right, so if you had your strategic plan in front of you right now, you would notice that almost every one of those addressable challenges the board has charged us to tackle this year, and I'm very proud to present a budget that will be addressing those, and a lot of it is um flat. The team has done a great job keeping budgets flat everywhere we possibly can, and they're still moving the needle on the board's strategic plan.

2:17:59All right, so we do want to talk a little bit about some of our operational efficiencies. So for this fiscal year, the board approved a position that's coordinating volunteers, and we wanted to come back and show the board the value that that volunteer coordinator has given us. So we've received in six we have six months of data. So, what this position has been able to assist in accomplishing for the county is over 25,000 hours of volunteer service. That equates to twenty-four full-time FTEs. And

2:18:29the payroll equivalent. $480,000 for six months. So if I were to just do a straight line trajectory, we're talking about over eight hundred thousand. dollar ROI on a roughly eighty thousand dollar position. That's pretty phenomenal. And so we've got a committed community and we've got someone who knows how to help that committed community. assists us in some pretty unique ways. So I'm not gonna belabor the point, but I will highlight a few

2:19:00things. So when we look at um so like the pantry at the One Stop Shop, we've got volunteer there and they're not just checking people in, but they're helping us pack the food distribu um nope, moved on to a different one. That was our senior services. Um the pantry at the one stop shot. Oh yeah, no, they're distribu distributing and packing and they're providing customer service. I was right, I have my notes right. Trust yourself, Adrian, Amy. Um, we do have a kitchen aide helping us in the Senior Services Center, and so they're helping prepare

2:19:30meals for both in the in our senior centers and also for our delivery services. Um, and then this one's pretty cool: CERT volunteers supplementing our activities during activation. So we're ramping up that program so when we We just did a big training in Gulf

2:19:46Harbor's

2:19:48That's awesome, right? So so we have a community who cares and they're giving back.

2:19:55Alright, so now let's talk, and I'll talk high level about each of these. So we've worked as a board, as a team, to really look at Finding operational improvements everywhere we can. So consolidated 911 services. So this is a huge deal because we are streamlining our dispatch and our call taking for the entire county to include all of the cities. We'll call it a a one-stop shop for making sure that we've got the right um equipment and the right people

2:20:25going out to the right calls based off what we're getting and there's no Um Transferring of calls and so really how fast can we get from we've taken the call to we've got the right type of services for what's happening. Um, pre-hospital whole blood program. Making sure that we're able to I don't wanna mess this one up, guys. We've equipped first responders with unseparated blood to administer at the scene of an ur of an injury. This is increasing survivability for patients

2:20:55suffering from I'm not gonna say this word right-hemorrhagic. Hemorrhagic? Mm-hmm. Shot or massive blood loss. Pretty cool. Um we all know about D Shift. So people is at the heart of what we do, our culture. And so we said how do we stay competitive in a market that's very competitive? And we said, Well, we have to make sure that we're taking care of our people. And I think D Shift is the example of innovation and making sure that we're able to

2:21:25retain good competent staff because we care about them and we're gonna take care of them. And so D Shift is a great innovative example of that. Um Preventative road maintenance. So we've we've turned our old outdated process of paying for road maintenance, and we've been able to find a way to fund good scientific backed Research

2:21:49priorities to make sure that we are maintaining roads at the right time, at the right place before it becomes overly expensive. Um and then general government efficiencies. So in here are kind of a lot of things. So our Lean Six Sigma program where we look at process efficiencies, and that is we are accredited now, so when our team gets staffed up with this belt. With those belts, it's good everywhere. And we're making sure that the county is also getting a good return on investment. So I'll give you one example. Fleet preventative

2:22:20maintenance tweaked our process for fleet preventative maintenance, saving county departments $300,000 a year because we're getting stuff in at the right time before it becomes a bigger problem. And then also just looking at how we run some of our support services. So when you look at the lean staffing for our facilities department, right? one of uh Commissioner Weightman's unfunded mandates, right? We're main we're mandated to provide and maintain our county facilities and we do that with one of the leanest

2:22:50budgets and leanest teams Out there. Same thing with fleet. Um And then of course let's I'd be remiss if I didn't talk about the couple of departments we have that are accredited, so public works And our building construction services team and destination management organization as well as parks are currently undertaking the rigorous process of becoming accredited. We got it. DMO got it? I can say that out loud. Go DMO. Awesome. Okay, so

2:23:20we now have three accredited departments.

2:23:25All right, so now let's start talking about our budgetary assumptions.

2:23:30So the direction we received from the board leading up to here is that we are looking at Um kind of the big muscle movements, taking the rescue component of fire and rescue out of the general fund moving it into the MSTU. We're also looking at establishing parks in an MSTU this year. So based off board direction, the budget before you, even though um the millages haven't been set yet. The budget before you is showing reducing the general fund by a like for

2:24:00like for establishing those two things in the MSTU. So what's before you is a reduced millage rate, knowing that that's still something that needs to be adopted. Um Let's see. So then stormwater assessments, no change there. The road rehabilitation MSTU, that's the same millage rate that was adopted for 26. The water and wastewater rates are on pace with their approved rate study and no change in the solid waste rates.

2:24:31All right, so now let's start talking about the pressure that's on the budget. Um I think the first bullet here we already started discussing it this morning um and it's it is the biggest topic in in terms of budgetary pressures and that is that property tax reform reform. Ballot measure coming up in November. Now the board also has been working very hard. W um to maintain structural stability in the general fund. And we are I will show you in a few slides that

2:25:01um with the board's guidance and Good fiscal stewardship, we are really close. We're basically structurally balanced in the general fund. Um, and that's a testament to the work that you all do to maintain good fiscal stewardship for our citizens. Let's see, we've got publics Safety staffing and expenses. So we are still working to staff up the jail expansion, aligning resources with execution and as construction and renovations are underway and

2:25:31completed.

2:25:37And then general inflation and growth demands on operating, I mean it's just that's it's kinda where we've been, it's kind of where we're at, and we see the uh the pressure from that the most in capital projects, but we're f we feel it in operating as well. Um We need to maintain our public facilities. That does not come without a cost, but the longer we wait to maintain them, the more costly it ends up becoming. Um Wesley Chapel Library will be fully operational. Uh Villages

2:26:08of Pasadena Hills, the Nature and Bike Park Phase One coming online and uh Medicaid or Medicaid rates, which they're not reflected in the slides yet, but we did I think two days ago get that number for Medicaid and so we'll talk about that later.

2:26:26All right, so now we're gonna move into some of our economic indicators and I am gonna try to um go through these quickly so if you have any questions please just interject. Um so we look at the tons of trash. It's what we call a canary in the coal mine for us as A what typically tends to happen is as that tons of trash starts to level off, we typically see afterwards a change in our taxable values. And

2:26:57so you'll see here we've got data up through 25 because that's our last fully executed year, and you'll see for the last couple of years it has been plateauing, right? And so we've been talking about our expectation is at some point right around the corner, those valuations are gonna start to turn the corner as well and come down.

2:27:19Another indicator that we look at is our new home purple.

2:27:24Uh Amy

2:27:25Yes

2:27:25or Kevin, is recycling factored into these the total tonnage or no? The recycled tons. Are they factored into the total solvent?

2:27:38So I would say these numbers. Point to the mic.

2:27:42Yeah to come forward to the mic. Kevin, you need to come to the mic.

2:27:49But but I was just trying to understand the accuracy if if this was just MSW or if recycling was included or excluded from the tonnage values.

2:28:01It appears to me Kevin Pliska Solid Waste Director, looking at this slide, it appears it is excluded when we include solid recyclables. We're at about 510,000 tons. So I would say it's probably excluded from this number.

2:28:19So would you say this is a little skewed then?

2:28:23Um, I think the the from a macro standpoint, the big picture, you know, we do see things starting to level off as far as total growth and total solid waste being collected or disposed. So I do see that trend as being pertinent here. You know, we had many years that we were close to double digit. You know, I think year over year we're now plateauing at about three and a half, four percent. And again, that depends on what side of the county you're looking at. West side uh very

2:28:54flat. East side close to eight percent last year.

2:28:58Increase. Increase. That's important. Didn't know. Thank you.

2:29:06Tell me what.

2:29:10It shows market. So I know we're looking at the whole picture here, but it shows where market and investment are going in the county. where services are likely going to be needed. if challenges arise where you know everybody everybody needs some level of government, right? But if the if the as we prepare for whatever the future holds

2:29:40to be able to meet demand and the growth demand in the new If the new is not stuffing, if if you're flat on west, but you grew at eight percent on the east. And that seemingly trend is still going to continue. I think we need to look at the overall uh government infrastructure on both sides of of the counties when we have to make tough decisions what goes where, investment goes where and so on and so forth. Volume of customer. Pasano says he sees fifty, sixty thousand a

2:30:10month. What's the breakdown of where those fifty, sixty thousand people are at? um so on and so forth so I just I just thought the breakdown uh was was interesting when when it comes time to for us to have to make decisions of okay how are we trying to help the most folks or where so just general general thought Rattling up in this

2:30:37eggshell and I I'm just trying to understand where your concept was. What I do think would be helpful if we did see the slide with recycling included because that's I think the tongue that we talk about what's being created might might help us as well. Yeah. Some of these new developments they may be recycling more. Participation. Compared to the old ones that they still don't and are going to for different reasons. Um so there'd be hope.

2:31:00Yeah the the Chair, the participation rates, if if recycling is up, you know, you see these overall soil waste tonnages. But are we having, you know What's going on if if there is commercial recycling going on in the market? Uh what's the residential participation kind of where based on routes, right?

2:31:25I think it would add more clarity between this delta because the more folks recycle, obviously, right? Doesn't just go go down, so it might not be Completely as accurate and as if if if this if if we're leaning somewhat heavily on this data point, um It's important to know and by the way, are we still the cleanest commodity in the area for recycling? We still hold that we still hold that mantle. Which is a great

2:31:55thing by the way, 'cause that means the county's getting paid the most money for its its commodity.

2:32:00Um so we are reaffirming it in the upcoming months. We're gonna do another uh detailed study. We expect our rates to improve though, even from what we were before. We think there has been more educational outreach. And uh we hope to come back and say that, you know, we're less than seven percent contamination. That's our goal.

2:32:20And that that's a testament to the resident. The resident and businesses who participate in the program that that's real dedication on on their part. And so Good job all the way around.

2:32:31Kevin, like when we look at the uh the spike to the last two years or so, do we account for like the hurricanes, how much trash got thrown up because of those? Yeah, good question.

2:32:45Um well actually we S going back to recycling, we think we probably lost a little bit of recycling credit um during the hurricanes because how things were handled. But to your point the debris that was collected in um by our small haulers, bar major companies, those were all went outside of our system. Okay, so those would not be in these numbers. Okay. Okay.

2:33:11Because that had to be weighed for FEMA purposes, right?

2:33:14Yeah, yeah. And you know, specialized waste went to C and D landfills and then all the vegetation, remember, we took a lot of that and made mulch for beneficial reuse, et cetera. So uh we did not occupy our landfill space or our waste to energy capacity. The vast majority was handled, you know, differently. Okay.

2:33:38Close. Ready?

2:33:40Alright, so then looking at our new home permits, so these have leveled off. We are still getting new home permits, but not at the clip in the rate that we saw post-COVID. Can I ask a question on this chair?

2:33:57Is the purple line Converging with the orange. I it's hard for me to see where the purple line goes after. So the

2:34:03the purple line is following a very similar trend line to the green one. And so the green is last year twenty twenty five. The purple is year to date twenty twenty six through April. And so really it's just showing that we've got a very similar trend this year to the last two years and so we're expecting the new home permits to just kind of be at the same steady clip, but not the growth we had been experiencing.

2:34:28Okay, so so the purple is underneath the green? Yeah. Well if Mike Wells were still on here, there's no way. Well the purple

2:34:35stops.

2:34:35It

2:34:36stops

2:34:36in April. It stops at April. Oh that's a good thing. That's down five.

2:34:41And so and so it's important for us to It's important for us to to remember that I'm using rough numbers, but residential comprises roughly eighty five percent of our taxable value. And we use the new home permits as a gauge because it is a large um percentage of our taxable value. We use that as a gauge for what we think new construction TAV might be, taxable assess value might be in the future. And

2:35:11so this year is tracking with the same growth from the prior two years. Which, like I said, is a drop-off from the post-COVID boom we saw in 2022 and 2023. So when we look at our total taxable value growth, this year it is down from what we have been experiencing. And part of that is the new construction, the bigger piece is the revaluations, which we'll get into.

2:35:37So here so These are the new home permits. And then here's how that translates to our taxable value history of new construction. So the FY27 number you see here, this is based off June 1 preliminary taxable assessed value numbers from the property appraiser's office. You'll remember that July 1st, we get final. So right now we're able to show you a budget based off preliminary numbers and then And when we come back in July for trim, we'll have the final

2:36:07July 1 assessed numbers. So this is subject to a little bit of change. But you see now where our new construction values have dropped down. So what we saw coming in the new home permits, what we saw coming with the tons of trash, we're seeing here that kind of we'll call it the shift in the curve. Or look, turning point. I could just read my slide.

2:36:32And so you'll remember the new construction, that's a component of our total taxable value change. The other piece is the revaluation, so the existing And for our prelim numbers for FY27, we're looking at 6.3% of taxable assessed value growth. 3.7 of that is the new construction. Our revaluations are at 2.5%. Now to put this into perspective, you see that we had a spike in total valuations in

2:37:0323. We had 16.7% growth. That was that number. 11% of that was revaluation. So the market, all of this to say the market has cooled off and we have turned. We've turned the corner, and you see that with the 27 June 1 preliminary numbers, right? But the difference, and so why we look at the big picture, because there's a difference between recession drop off, that's that huge drop. that you see 28, 29. The difference

2:37:33is this has been more moderated and a a market correction more than just a We'll call it a shock to the system.

2:37:44And we wanted to add, so typically we would show this slide and we would show this slide, but we also wanted to tell the story of as all of this taxable value change occurred. What was also happening with millage rates, because that's the other piece of the equation when we start to look at what is our ad valorem tax revenue going to be. And so you'll see here where the um So, a couple uh what I'll call interesting data points and history. So, most recently,

2:38:15as our taxable assessed values came in higher, you'll see that the board was working to reduce millage rates. To provide some tax relief while balancing demands for service because we were still in a growth environment, right? So you see the board working to provide some relief while also trying to make sure that we can provide services around the population growth and our increased demand for services. Now, if you go back to 07, right before the market crash, um We were at and we

2:38:45hit historic low taxable assessed value and you can see where the board was trying to Moderate an increase in the millage rates to try to come back and rebuild level of service after the recession. Um And so what you're seeing here really is a long-term strategic approach to try to build back those levels of service after the market crash, right? And so we're at a point now where we're able to meet

2:39:16demand and provide some tax relief.

2:39:21Let's change the slide just for a second. Let's take a look back from 2004. And the board worked very hard every year to cut that millage, cut that millage, cut that millage. So much so that when the economy then dropped, we were in a very bad spot for several, several years where we couldn't fund parks, libraries, et cetera, to cut 30%. Everything else was was being slammed. And it took a while. for us to get back and I think that's when the voters back a few years back decided we want to get caught back up with tire weight for our kids. No, okay,

2:39:51thank you.

2:39:52You're welcome.

2:39:58All right, so uh we talked about our preliminary assessed values coming in at 6.3%. And then you'll also remember that I discussed how we built a budget where we were um doing a like-for-like reduction in the general fund for the increase for the fire MSU to absorb rescue and to also stand-up parks. And so the assumption for the like-for-like. um change in millage rate was assuming uh that like for like reduction for parks would establish their current

2:40:28budget plus which includes the three million for maintenance, establishing that in the parks at MSTU. And then um conversation around increased levels of service, would that look like um a tax increase, right? And so, you know, discussions to happen. So, what you see here is reflective of the fire MSTU millage rate increasing, general fund having a like-for-like reduction. And you will see that the sheriff's allocation is we've maintained that at what his budget request

2:40:59was, not showing a change in what his budget would be based off a millage rate change because. is the forty percent of taxable assessed value growth. Part of that has to do with what the millage rate is. So we kept his budget at what he submitted, which was assuming four percent taxable assessed value growth, with the seven point four zero four two millage rate that we adopted in twenty six.

2:41:29All right, so general fund big picture. All right, so this is where we were talking about the structural balance that the board has worked very hard to achieve. And so I'll take you to the non recurring Or the recurring revenue versus expenses. And so when you see that it's negative point one eight, that's $180,000 more in expenses than revenue. When we look at our previous years, we were in the millions. So I would call it we are structurally balanced board, we have a ride. And this budget also

2:42:00assumes that 91.96 ending fund balance or reserves, that is 71 days in reserves or 19.5% of our operating expenses.

2:42:16All right, so budgetary pressure, that first bullet that we had talked about was the property tax reform. And so here's a summary table of um what those impacts would be. So the assumptions Um baked in here. It is FY26, so current year adopted millage rates, and June 1 preliminary assessed values. And so year one, the ballot measure calls for a hundred and fifty thousand dollar um homestead exemption.

2:42:47And so then you'll see what the impact to each of our Um

2:42:54And then year two is showing the two hundred and fifty thousand exemption and then um The measure calls for the legislator at some point to create a schedule for when you would get to a full homestead. So we just did that calculation as well, just so you all could see the numbers. And so even though the board hasn't adopted a millage rate yet for parks, we did want to run some numbers. If we were to establish parks. Um Based off current budget and the three million for capital maintenance,

2:43:25they would experience in year one a six point three million dollar loss and then ten point eight million in year two.

2:43:33Yep. Mr. Wayne. Thank you, Chairman Mariano. So that's based on MSTU Would that hit be harder if it was still in the general fund?

2:43:43Yeah, the numbers shake out to be about the same.

2:43:47Yeah. Percentages would carry across the percent. Yeah, the percentage of the right-of-way. But the interest in the MSTU compounds faster, right? That we've seen, at least historically, based on fire.

2:43:57The MSTU essentially keeps the growth within that particular use or funds.

2:44:01So then theoretically, if it was in if it's funded in MSTU, then it would not be taken as big of a punch. to the head based on the the the interest component to it or no? Eric's saying no.

2:44:16No they're they're equivalent but Yeah, I mean they're equivalent. The math is i i it's either in the general operating or or it sits in the M STU. So it's like for like right now. The percentages would would carry forward. It just you would have to fence it off within the general fund. If it's in its M STU it's already been fenced off. for for you and for the public.

2:44:37Okay. Thank you.

2:44:42Any other questions or comments?

2:44:46All right. So when we're talking about our taxes, we also like to make sure that we can um explain in an easy to understand manner. where where do where do those taxes go? And so here we've got for every dollar of ad valorem taxes that a citizen pays, where does that go? And this is based off of um Current year, fiscal year 26 adopted. So 60 cents comes to the county, 38 cents goes to the school board, one cent goes to mosquito control, and then one cent goes to Swift Mud. So

2:45:16then we've taken the county's 60 cents on that dollar and broken that out based off the different levies that we have. So the general operating millage, the fire MS.

2:45:30So the fire MSU, the road MSU and the general obligation, those are pretty easy to understand because it's one for one like uh like for like. But general operating, that's where there can be some, we'll call it confusion or maybe, you know, a lack of clarity. So we like to take those 44 cents and then break that out so you can understand how that gets distributed based off of budget. So 20 cents of that 44 cents goes to the sheriff's budget, six cents goes to correction, four

2:46:00cents goes to the other constitutional officers, four cents goes to support services and um Some of our mandated services, tips and CREs three cents, parks two cents, public other public services under Kathy Pearson's branch, two cents, rescue two cents, and again because this is based off FY26, rescue still in the general fund, and then libraries at one cent.

2:46:28Question Chairman Mariano. Thank you.

2:46:34How's the bond market react to MSTU versus not? So say, you know, we have an MSTU for whatever specific service and we go to Bond Parks, for example. We have the MSTU's funding and we go to Bond projects. Is there more security in the bond market knowing that the project is backed by the M STU based on the formula of votes and et cetera that it takes versus general fund or not? Are they treated the same?

2:47:04Are you Are you talking about general obligation bonds? Oh because if you're if if you're talking about general obligation bonds, they should be the same because you you've Gone to referendum. You're appropriating Millage for that to pay that bond holder back. And the revenue stream from either of the M S T U so long as there's enough money in it. And the general revenue would be equivalent.

2:47:35where it would not be equivalent is if you were just doing a Covenant to budget and appropriate where it was coming out of But you really

2:47:48revenue stream for that type of bond.

2:47:50So Jeff I think but a but a more basic question or a higher level question is is y can you really bond ad valorem You can't pledge or can you pledge ad valorem tax receipts as a as a as a source, my understanding is you'll you you would have to

2:48:06under under old school or new school? Well new school

2:48:08I thought it was general.

2:48:11So so if you are pledging ad valorem money

2:48:15Mm-hmm.

2:48:16under the state constitution, you must take it to the voters.

2:48:20Correct. General obligation.

2:48:22So that's but it would be the same if it was coming out of an MSDU. Correct. That would still be pledging a tax an ad valorem tax source. Right. So but it would still require referendum is the either either one of those streams would have to require a referendum. And so that's my opinion would be that they would be treated The in the bond market they would be treated the same. So really no difference.

2:48:46What about an MSBU?

2:48:49MSB use would not be looked as favorably upon by the By whom? By the by the people who buy bonds. Now that's this is Why? I'm having to give you an opinion based on what the market has done. before the legislature has decided to put this on the ballot. Um

2:49:15The bond market has always looked at property tax backed bonds as being the most the most

2:49:24in

2:49:24Florida. In Florida. They've looked at it as the as the best, highest value bonds, with maybe the exception of a utility revenue bond that was That's double A or better. Um the only groups that tend to do a lot of Special assessment bonds are the C D Ds. And because so many of those C D Ds went under in O seven, oh eight,

2:49:55the bond market still is a little queasy about. that source. So Uh my opinion would be, and maybe Bond Council would give you a different opinion, but my but based on my observation over the years. A MSTU bond that was that had gone to a voter referendum and was validated by the circuit court. would would be a W you'd get a better you'd

2:50:26get a lower interest rate. the bond market would uh would take those in better than a straight M S B U style bond. Because they're Special assessments have to you have to prove special benefit. You know, there's there there are more hurdles.

2:50:44But if you get if you get over those hurdles, it's not It's not dependent upon The um

2:50:53You don't

2:50:53have

2:50:53it, right? A a That's

2:50:56why I wonder

2:50:57an MSB if you had an MSBU and you were trying to float a bond against it you because it's not a tax under Florida law, you wouldn't have to go to referendum.

2:51:08Yeah.

2:51:09We would still recommend that you validate it i in court. Just because that that would give the bond holder more.

2:51:16Okay, but uh and are we gonna talk about MS Bs today or no?

2:51:20I that that's that's up to the board. I mean those are not

2:51:22sure if

2:51:23M SPUs or assessments or you you talk

2:51:25to Weightman no no MSBUs. Yeah, voted on one. MS T U or M

2:51:30S P U? Gulf Harbor's.

2:51:32Yeah that is a that is one that we did.

2:51:33And uh George. But Commissioner

2:51:35Commissioner Yeager wasn't.

2:51:36Yeah. Well I just I asked that because of the you know, how what was done in the past with the fuel tax, right? So my my my point there

2:51:46was is So you can you can bond sales tax revenue as well. That's that's a different stream than Adam.

2:51:53When for example, like when you're looking at the hits to the to the parks over the two year span, and if there is a millage rate set and it's and it's capturing and it's guaranteed compounding money, even though it's not to the level of what We were initially anticipating And the board hypothetically picks a maintenance project and a new build. Uh that it allows how whatever volume of money that is to like it can go to work. as it's still growing.

2:52:23So that was just uh

2:52:26You can use the proceeds of your MSTU to pay off your debt and make your debt service payments like any other expense. But as a revenue source to pledge would be a different story. As Jeff says if it's a tax, you it's general obligation. You would have to go to the voters for it. Um we have pledged half cent sales tax as a as a as a repayment source. Uh I think recently for the Parks Bond that that went out to to pay for you know. So it it can be used as a source of payment, but it it's not the collateral,

2:52:57if that makes sense. So

2:52:58how what's the is there a s significant di difference in the interest rates between the two mechanisms?

2:53:06That's all very much up in the air right now with the current current climate and conversation. We don't know.

2:53:12Yeah, so not bankers? So in the in the old in these Before the before the amendment Because You couldn't get to a bond holder on on a advorum tax stream unless you had taken it to the voters. They were very very secure in buying those bonds. So they came right they came at a at a much lower interest rate.

2:53:39Yeah. So a lot of it's contingent on like the market, what's happening in the market and now uh not to get too geeky, but um like how many people

2:53:47are going at the same time as you are.

2:53:49Right. And like half cent sales tax is considered a little bit more volatile because the uh like the fits and the ups and downs can h happen much quicker than what you would see with like property taxes. So that tends to be more attractive. On the bond market, um, but we've done a really good job in this county of m maintaining good financial solvency in the last few years, especially in the general fund, that we have experienced really good interest rates when we have gone to the market because it does look at your

2:54:20overall portfolio as well and what are your reserve levels and all of those things. And so the board's commitment to maintaining good reserve levels. And working towards structural balance has helped us achieve better interest rates when we have gone to market recently.

2:54:35Unless you're Kevin Pluska, then they just give you money for free.

2:54:40Well cleanest recycling materials.

2:54:44Is he is he still here? Did he get to hear all this? No, unfortunately. That's too bad.

2:54:48He got called up and said, Oh boy, I'm outta here.

2:54:56All right, so as we were as we were just discussing, oddly enough, great transition. Um, in the general fund, so ad valorem taxes is yes the largest revenue in that fund, but it is not the only one. Um and you will see important to note that in this fund a very small percentage of the revenue is for charges for service. Meaning we currently aren't charging directly for the services that get provided out of here. The majority of them are funded through the ad valorem

2:55:26taxes or that sliver, green sliver called federal and state. And what that is is the half cent sales tax and the guaranteed entitlement revenue that funnels and gets distributed from the state that we were just talking about.

2:55:40You all teed me up nice for that segue. Good job. All right, so then how are we currently allocating those resources to our expense side of the house? So the majority here is for public safety, and so that includes sheriff corrections, emergency management, uh juvenile detention center. Um those kinds of things. Um and that blue Graph on the bottom, so these are our mandated or general government type things. And so just

2:56:11to highlight a couple of the mandated services that maybe aren't uh widely understood to be mandates, so public facilities, we are mandated I know I've said that a few times today, right? But we are mandated to care for and maintain our public facilities, and that does come with a cost. Um ha holding open meeting.

2:56:30Can I stop you for a minute? I'm just I can't get past this first little block up there on the right. So the sheriff's budget's at one ninety eight. The corrections budget is now is at eighty eight? Yes.

2:56:44So it's about 67% to 33%?

2:56:51Team, can you translate that? And get back three, I think.

2:56:56I think I know where the commissioner's going with this, but I'll

2:57:03Yes sir

2:57:03with

2:57:03the

2:57:03growth? I mean We're we're not getting near what we should be getting, I I would think.

2:57:10In terms of the allocation of new

2:57:12it's yeah, we only dropped him down ten percent from a fifty fifty split. Now it's sixty forty. the numbers here should be drastically different. I think you should break those numbers up to show what that split should be undergrowth. That's that's that's an amazing number. And maybe maybe it is partly for government that's driven up our costs. Which is something we need to go take a look at.

2:57:32Yes.

2:57:33Right procurement and the staffing of the expansion. Yeah.

2:57:37I mean. All right. Thank you.

2:57:40It's then also under those um mandated services, so having open meetings like this is mandated by the state and so when we look at you know the budgets that contribute to that, roughly six point six million for maintaining open meetings. Um Our Medicaid contr contribution, uh that's over eleven million for FY twenty seven. We just got those numbers in. Uh I believe that was roughly Six percent increase in FY

2:58:11twenty six's contribution.

2:58:16All right, so what are those requirements, you know, some of the things that we need to make sure are in this budget? Um So looking at retirement rates, so we did calculate the retirement rates based off of the most recent bill, and in there we see an increase for special risk and an increase for elected. And the big increase for the special risk is the cost of living adjustment. And so when we look at just our general fund. impact for that seven hundred and eighty

2:58:46seven thousand increase uh for retirement. Um we do have a wage increase baked into this budget of three percent. Uh when we look at the constitutional requests excluding the tax collector and excluding the sheriff, we're looking at um half a million increase. Uh Wesley Chapel Library, you'll see here um 30,000 increase in 27 and then 890,000. The library team has done a great job

2:59:16of sharpening their pencils on. timing and staffing and aligning resources, dollar resources and people resources with um when they'll need to have that fully running and a lot of that based on the renovation happening at Hudson. And then we talked about Medicaid, that is an $11 million expense for 27, not on the slides because that was hot off the press in an email. And then corrections union wage increase under

2:59:47negotiation.

2:59:51All right, so looking at the five-year capital plan built into the general fund, you will see that the county administrator is recommending modest investments mainly in maintaining our current infrastructure to include both facilities and technology infrastructure.

3:00:09And then we will do a deep dive into the rest of the proposed capital budget again in July. We just wanted to make sure that we showed you the five-year plan and the general fund since that is germane to the the overall general fund conversation.

3:00:26So and I had talked earlier about how our teams really came in flat this year, and so this slide is a testament to the hard work that happened. Um January through May to make sure that we really were just asking for those things that we need. And so you'll see a lot of our departments came under what their 26 adopted budgets are and where we've increased it is due to contractual increases. So for corrections, um Um Inmate

3:00:56medical coverage and food service contracts. Now uh I will say the cost of those contracts went up. by a larger amount than their budget went up, because they found other places that they could cut and tighten and make some sacrifice to try to absorb some of these contract increases. Facilities management, same thing. Their contracts went up by a greater amount than their budget went up because there was a lot of pencil sharpening. And then libraries, what you're seeing there, that's we're

3:01:26opening up a new library.

3:01:33All right, so the board has been committed to maximizing our funding that we receive from developers when they clear out lots to ensure that we're putting those funds to work back in the community. So the team has been working very hard to come up with a five-year spend plan. They're really close to final on it, so we just wanted to give you a highlight of what to expect with the FY27 budget. So looking at a little over $400,000 for landscaping several of our parks and rec complexes,

3:02:04$670,000 for landscaping at facilities. These are not, this is not exhaustive, but inclusive of the Dade City Health Department, Elfers Historic Schoolhouse, and the Stallings and Summit. Buildings. Public infrastructure looking at roughly 2.9 for median landscaping and landscaping aligned with road construction. And then for our planning team looking at $1.5 million for small business grant program.

3:02:37All right, so that gets us to the millage discussion. And so for today, um having a discussion around millage rates will allow the county administrator and the budget team to come back in July for the trim meeting with a recommendation. Um and so Let's talk kind of rules here. So how the rest of this budget process operates in July. You guys will set what we call the ceiling on the millage rate, so the maximum out when we get to the final the first and

3:03:07final hearing we can come down, but we can't go up from those numbers that the board establishes in July.

3:03:15And so with that we are happy to um have some discussion with you guys.

3:03:21You should wait. Um

3:03:28I thought there was gonna be another slide here.

3:03:32I have backup slides. Um knowing that we were if I need the team to pivot to a backup slide, I'm just gonna go to the back of the phone.

3:03:41Since we have fire the f moving the the rescue to to the fire MSTU, that's probably a quicker conversation than the other. You wanna jump to that one?

3:03:52Yep. All right.

3:03:54That's a pretty easy one.

3:03:56All right. So uh moving rescue into the Fire MSTU. So the um to a point that Commissioner Weightman had made earlier, um the FIRE team has done a gr well fire and rescue team has done a great job over the years. Um especially under Chief Gwynne's leadership and guidance, of making sure that they are properly aligning financial resources when and where they need it. And so they've experienced um we'll call it an increase in fund balance. And so moving

3:04:26rescue expenses into the FIRE MSTU along with the associated revenues that fund Um that fund that Will We will see additional money in the general fund fund balance by shifting those over. And so we're able to increase the fire MSCU at a rate and then decrease by a like amount. still be able to afford stations coming online following their capital plan and alleviating some of the current and

3:04:57future expense pressures out of the general fund. So this the the math just really works out and this movement uh is one of the key ways in which we can maintain structural balance in the general fund. And then make sure that Fire and Rescue has dedicated resources when they need to, um Have stations come online for those demand for services without competing for those fundings with other general fund departments.

3:05:25I like it. Net impact to median home value, zero.

3:05:29Yep.

3:05:30That's been the target of all the MSTUs um was to take like for like and and make those reductions accordingly.

3:05:40B um but if there is a one third budget cut That MSTU has a one

3:05:45third budget kit. That is correct.

3:05:47Just so we our citizens know what they're voting on. Correct

3:05:52would be

3:05:52about a third revenue.

3:05:53We're gonna talk parks. Yeah, that's what I figured we'd hit that one since that was the last slide and then we'd go back to the this one. Okay, last slide then.

3:06:05And this

3:06:05piece.

3:06:07All right, so Mike, you want us to pivot to the high level?

3:06:13Uh yeah, that would be fine. We can we can discuss that. Do you have those backup slides?

3:06:18We do. Heather, if you could pivot, it's gonna be the summary table for um the park slides. Let me tell you what number it is in my packet. Maybe that helps you.

3:06:37My packet says seven. Maybe yours does too.

3:06:41So uh Amy, so if we do Oh sorry Jen. Thank you, Jen. It's a part summary head. So we do so seeing kind of consistency on moving the point two nine eighty. uh mills for mills over that puts us at a starting general fund millage rate of of what six for this this piece that puts us at a at a starting millage rate of six what six

3:07:12Matthew.

3:07:13I missed your first part of your

3:07:14request. Our current general fund is seven point four zero four two. Yes, sir. Seemingly consensus is like for like on moving fire, so we move. So out of that seven point four we deduct the point two nine eight zero, which comes to a s a theoretically starting millage rate of

3:07:39So um assuming the reduction related to fire and a reduction to establishing parks as they're currently funded, the general fund would be sitting at six point five six one two.

3:07:51That's for both though.

3:07:52But that's for both of both of those.

3:07:54So he's asking right now just to be able to do that.

3:07:55So what do we have to just fire before we get into the parts discussion?

3:07:59I I think my map is seven point two and four, but someone someone check it.

3:08:03Here, I'm gonna get my calculator seven point point four.

3:08:11Seven point one zero six two is what

3:08:16Okay. So for the sake of of this conversation, we're starting at 7.1062.

3:08:25Hypothetically fires with the fi the rescue component done. All right.

3:08:33So that's the star. And you said with the current parks budget, like for like, it moves general operate grading millage to six what? Five six.

3:08:45Six five six one two.

3:08:49And that's just current

3:08:51Current state.

3:08:52Current state.

3:08:56Is there a slide on that?

3:09:00Is there a slide on that?

3:09:03With parts. That that shows the reduction. Yeah.

3:09:11You show you have a slide where there were different

3:09:14You know, but I think that's one scenario that they did not I'm not I'm not necessarily seeing it Specifically there.

3:09:26And which scenario was that?

3:09:28Your your closest one was your two A scenario. Oh seven one oh six two, here it is. The part. Yeah, we've got it. That's your option three. Uh five.

3:09:43Pull up slide five, Heather.

3:09:45I don't think her slide numbers are the same as us. What's it

3:09:48No, they tracked.

3:09:51Yep. Keep going. Back. Back. Almost there.

3:09:58That's easier to see.

3:09:59I'm

3:09:59turning around.

3:10:00It's in your supplemental package.

3:10:02Keep going.

3:10:13Yeah we've we've got it commissioner just

3:10:16Heather, Eric's driving.

3:10:18Thank you.

3:10:21Yeah.

3:10:23Just trying to get a new nickname, Agile Amy, let that percolate.

3:10:30I made Jeff laugh. I win.

3:10:32So Commissioner, what you see there is exactly what uh Commissioner Weightman just just stated. The fire MSTU increases by the point two nine number. Um and then the general operator.

3:10:42Do we have the slide or is it just

3:10:43it should be, I don't know if it's in your packet or not.

3:10:46You should have it and it's sample trim notice party.

3:10:51It doesn't s mean anything.

3:10:54This is this is just moving fire, which is what the commissioner's question was.

3:11:00It drops the starting general fund to 7.1. And then we do the same thing at PARPS as currently funded, it moves general fund to 6.5. Chick point six.

3:11:24Which is Go back to which is that.

3:11:29Yeah.

3:11:30We don't have that slide.

3:11:32It's in the back of your package.

3:11:39This one?

3:11:46Odd garbage as well. Okay.

3:11:48They do. Uh digital three chairman.

3:11:53Please should.

3:11:56I got everything.

3:12:04So then the conversation lands on uh

3:12:11The

3:12:14uh trust fault exercise, right? Which I trust y'all on this. I'm committed to being the all in on parks with this Commissioner Starkey says truly legacy decision here in setting up for the future. We know strong parks build strong communities. We know if we have a strong park system Uh it just continues to add incredible value to our community, higher home sales, better quality of life,

3:12:44brings in good folks uh to live here and to come and travel here for tournaments and whatnot. So based on you know the the property tax discussion, I think I feel we have an opp how government creates value. is in key areas quality roads short times and traffic and then a second to none park system

3:13:11And so I'm I'm open. to whichever you know option the board is comfortable with, I'm willing to be aggressive with the plan. Because the sooner we get the work done, the cheaper it's going to be. And um the quicker you know we we have a a sound community asset that drives you know, probably unquantifiable

3:13:42value within housing stock, commercial business. Tourism, you name it, right? So I'll open with that statement.

3:13:52Oh well can you talk about more specifically so if we i if if we look at this option to Uh the zero point five four what it what is the um What does that do for parks? Is that maintained parks and does that let us

3:14:08quote. So with that just

3:14:11status quo.

3:14:11Uh we can sh we have a slide that can kind of show what uh what that looks like. Uh Heather or Eric, if you want to drive us In your supplemental packet you can kind of look at Slide number eight. Yeah.

3:14:28So because we're we're talking the Parks option two and so this is status quo plus five million additional for nope no

3:14:39no option one please go back to option

3:14:41one okay option one yep our I'm tracking now so option one this is everything that the parks department has today would get shuffled into

3:14:54Into uh

3:14:54parks M STU.

3:14:55Correct. And so the only thing that uh the only funding sources that that Keith and his team would have for new in capital construction would just be the current rates of projected impact fees that would be assessed, and then whatever organic growth comes out of the MSTU, which presumably at this point would go into funding operations as he as he moves forward. So it's uh it's a like for like Transfer? It it doesn't it doesn't add to the capital program or the needs and demands that you saw at the workshop. Is

3:15:26Mr. Wiley here?

3:15:27No. No, but uh an emergency, but I can get him.

3:15:32Which way. So based on this conversation, you know, the the demands on you heard, you know, we know there's parks that in w on the west side Yeah. Lacking in maintenance, minimal parks on the east side, eight percent growth on the east side. Okay.

3:16:01Dom. You know, the the level so aside from the MSTU, the reason the party and we've grown younger, which is fantastic by average age and population since the COVID rush and the property tax thing passes, I suspect more people want to move down and get on the waiting list. And so So with with the development with the development pressures and as more developments come online, you know, we're asking um

3:16:32people from all across the county to pay for this. And the only reason one of the one of the reasons that we're in this situation is because of the level of development and growth that's come here. So do we have on top of the MSCU conversation And aside from the Um the the the the impact fee that we've that have been increased

3:16:59Do we go to the developers and say, hey, you need to do more. Because you're building all these houses with all these folks coming here. Yeah, demand, the hundred you know, once that closing happens, right, that crew cares about the closing and there's a hundred and thirty demands that come out of each one of these new residents once all that's done and they're situated. Yeah, are are there other mechanisms and abilities? to stand up our park system to make it as robust as we're all hoping

3:17:30to have. Uh by using them. like require them, you know, we need parks and we have you know, two rivers for example and we paid what we paid for the Bob Thomas park. But do we start having requirements that say, hey, you there's a real parks component within the development process on these larger scale developments. It's because of those projects that these challenges have arisen,

3:18:00right? And and the public can only share you know, carry so much of the water. Uh, you know, North Hudson, the more rural areas, everything north of fifty two, from the Gulf to the swamp, you know, it's gonna be less dense there. And, you know, so they're Uh they're carrying the water for the more urbanize and areas of the county. So I just trying to get creative on how, if there's any other mechanisms on how we build a robust park system that's

3:18:31second none, that's world class, um and striking the balance. with kind of that high level thought process in millage rate to get there where the taxpayer isn't necessarily carrying You know. The full bucket. So just creative creative thought processes there is what I'm trying to come up with on how we land to a successful model.

3:18:58Um well uh David could attest to what happened at the Starkey regional park where the developer took The developer did take a lot of responsibility for the first seven years, eight years. I don't know if you know the number. It was seven. Because they looked at it as a great asset for their for selling houses in the community.

3:19:22They did they did take on the maintenance responsibility for a period of seven years, but we helped subsidize that over time and then eventually we took over the maintenance.

3:19:30Yeah. But that, you know, if we could get bored We didn't make 'em do it, they voluntarily

3:19:35But that was a fairly unique arrangement and we haven't found another developer willing to do that since. So I I

3:19:42And I think that's that's the point I was I was gonna make is is you you will you will have to appeal to the good nature of your developer partners for that. Uh to make it compulsory, that's what your impact fee is for. Um you know, and that is that's what they're legally obligated to to to pay. And quite honestly you're you're a little you're a little caught up in that because you just raised it. So you really you know, there's there's rules now in in in increasing in in you know, how to increase that. We know we have to pay market value for land.

3:20:12There's there's a number of rules that have been put into place that um um I guess the days of of sort of getting concessions from developers, um it's you really have to apply to the good nature and have partners that that see the value in it as well as you do.

3:20:27We do have another partner, um uh West Bay. I don't know if Keith's had time to um Pursue this, but in meeting with them on the Mitchell forty one property Um and telling them about the equestrian opportunities in Jumpy Dolly and all around their Um and with their news um development they are very interested in partnering with us on advancing the building out of quality equestrian facilities there. so that uh i in lieu of

3:20:58um impact fee or you know and and that they would accelerate it so that they could be part of a marketing you know, ploy with their development. Um the other thing I would say uh th th you know, I'm the b I am a huge supporter of parks, everyone knows that. But I ha I have a little fear If we Show uh uh t if we were to put more money in the parks MSTU By raising a millage. I think I don't wanna

3:21:28f add fuel to a fire. Of getting more people to vote for the s for the sixty percent additional. Um But I what I would like to suggest is that we take and take that money that Pasano's giving us and just flat give it to parks.

3:21:45That's a good

3:21:45idea. Um and so so it doesn't necessarily build up their MSTU for next year. Um But if this doesn't go through, then we can, you know, work with the Parks MSTU and add more next year, but at least we get him some more capital money. uh without raising the military. Uh for this year. I like that idea.

3:22:07Mr. Well the the premise to the the thought process is I if we somehow find a new agreement with the development folks, they don't have to go to procurement. They don't have to have they don't have to pay all the costs through through procurement. They can get to work right away. They're already mobilized on site in the area. Um

3:22:34and it helps stretch the public dollar further. And helps. the park system come online quicker. instead of waiting on the Sales snail speed of of government, right? Because we're in the world of now. People want it now and the demand is now. And so that's that's the rationale. Um

3:23:02a thought process.

3:23:03But they may want impact fee credits for that, so it's still a hit to the parks department.

3:23:08That's correct. Yeah.

3:23:09Well and it it it would I what the commissioner is saying is it we treat it the same way we treat roads in some some instances where development Builds it. We give them credits. As long as they're not upside down, they'll usually go for that sort of a scenario and it gets done faster And potentially at a lower cost.

3:23:32Yeah. I say we do both.

3:23:34Yeah, you're seeing that. We're we're doing that already with roads. Uh as Nick likes to tell me, we're we're building our infrastructure building our roads inch by inch, but but I mean that's that's okay, right? You uh I fully believe in in leveraging our relationships with our developers to help get our infrastructure built that would include that would include parks. I know we we actually contemplated that and gave that some consideration with the uh with the two rivers park. You know, those were the you know we just couldn't come to a an agreement on that, from what I understand. So that's always on the table to Commissioner Starkey's

3:24:04point though. Typically, typically they're gonna want credit. Typically they're gonna You know. They're g they're gonna want something in return, which which of course is is fine. But if you're talking about leveraging and really truly moving the needle on on the taxpayer dollars, um you you're Your your biggest lover is your impact fee. Which you've already raised.

3:24:24Kathy.

3:24:25Yes, uh Keith Wiley is on teams and he does want to. Oh, sorry. Uh Keith Wiley is on. So we want to uh get him to comment. He does want to make some comments. Can you hear me now? There you go. Keith Wiley is on and like to make some comments.

3:24:44Can you say that one more time?

3:24:48They have to

3:24:49be able to do that.

3:24:51Oh can he can he not talk?

3:24:54No I get Kathy I can hear you. Mrs. Sherman, can you hear me? Yes.

3:24:59All right, so sorry I can't be there. Um couple quick responses to the discussion about impact fees, and I don't know if David Goldstein is still in the room, but um It it would be extremely difficult for developers to monetize. I mean in order for them to do the deal that I think Commissioner Weightman was discussing, you have to have some entitlements left over. In most of the cases where we are on our on our six major park projects, the

3:25:29build-out scenarios for those for those projects or those developments, they're well past 67%. So there's gonna be no developer that will build um strike a deal with the county when they can't monetize those credits. So so the ship is the ship's sailed on on those projects. The other thing is that I think Mr. Carball already called out, we've already increased the impact fee. We went through a study that was required by statute, and there's additional statute restrictions on how often you can increase that. Um that's also not

3:26:00a path forward. Um yeah, I I appreciate the discussion and the creativity to maybe look for other ways to get this done, but I think it's my job to tell you that that that is a dead end officially, in my opinion. Um and I'm hoping if David's in the room he could confirm some of the things that I just just stated because I don't have the statute language in front of me. I don't think we would be able to convince anyone that um of the extraordinary circumstances requirement maybe Jeff can o opine on that too um in terms of raising the

3:26:30impact fee. So I think you've already done it. That's the

3:26:33problem. I don't think we're discussing that.

3:26:35No.

3:26:36We're not discussing that, Keith. We know we just did that. Um

3:26:40I think the only chance for a for a developer to get in to actually see the value like they saw at Starkey to say our property was worth more money, even even during it's worth more money having the park built in ahead of time. Um we can't

3:26:53force them to see that.

3:26:54No, we can't. It it it it takes uh a smart businessman to actually see it and go and and be able to capitalize, but Um I agree the impact fee as high as they're gonna be and now we gotta look at where we're gonna go. But let me let me just bring this conversation out. As we're going to be looking at what's going to happen Come November, whether this vote gets voted up or down. Um Much as we looked at the the sheriff MSTU and how complex that was going to be because we're gonna have to like protect ourselves by putting the village up high. Or

3:27:25keep the millage up where it was and then add the MST on top of that to go forward? We're talking a lot about trust right here. But I don't think it's just a matter of trust we need to look at. And Keith, you might not like I'm going to say this, but I'm just thinking for for the long term to really protect us with what we're in front of us is right now. What are we going to do? How are we going to discuss? You know, listen to uh tax co tax cook of Sado talk about how he's losing money on licenses, losing money on on uh registrations. That

3:27:55type of thing is just his budget. And all all the other things that are mandated in here. We are gonna have, I think, such a battle. to be able to show people here's what you're going to lose uh if this goes through. Uh and and again, just what we saw the devastation at 100,000, never mind 150, never mind two fifty, so what it's gonna do, I think. As much as I want to protect parks, and from what I'm hearing, if we're just going to go net zero. I don't know if I w I really want to complicate the matter. I uh if you want to go further with it, just

3:28:25say put put more things in it. I'd be more inclined to go with it. But if I'm just gonna keep it I'm going for one to the other. I don't think it's I think it's just gonna be confusing to people out there what we're really trying to do. Because right now we should be focused to what this effect is going to be in the budget. Never mind how this MSTU is a neutral thing. It's not gonna hurt anybody. But you've got to try to spend time justifying that. And going through that. You're making this whole thing, I think, complex going that way. Now if you really want to go forward and go s bigger

3:28:56and and go to the uh option two or three where you're gonna put all these projects in, here's what we're gonna get if we go this way. It may carry more weight and more attention to it, but to keep it just the same, I'm gonna say it it's it's not the trust thing as we talked like last week. I'm not worried about the trust thing so much. I'm just worried about the message. that we have to deal with right now. Our focus, I think We're one year too early with this at this point? Because our focus is going to be what are we dealing with right now and what's going to be

3:29:26in front of the people? If this thing goes through, you know, just go back to you know 07, 08, we had to cut parks and libraries 29%. And if you factor those things into the other things that we have out there, senior services that we go out there. So like how many if we have a huge waiting list of meals on wheels. That's gonna be disintegrating. I mean all these things that are out there. that need be part of the discussion and you c you can talk about how they talked about they did this approval for this budget change drastically affecting sixty-seven

3:29:56counties. They did it in two days. How can you research something when you couldn't even get it through the regular session, through the six months they had before that, and now in two days we're going to slam it through with whether the leverage was getting projects done or not? Um I mean I I I just I just hate to see us take away from that discussion when we're trying to do what's the right thing. to do the thing 'cause I think parks should be separated out. I think you know we did a great thing with the roads of rehab rehabilitation project to take those out. We saved a ton of money on All

3:30:27the behaving assessment, but between the hearings, between the money, the recording. The efficiencies of that project is phenomenal for the last two years since putting in. I'm trying to get more money into that. So again, let's let let's talk about it a little bit, but to go from one to the other, why am I gonna get in that world and worry about even a trust factor? When I've got a big situation right in front of me. Commissioner Weightman then I'll go to Commissioner

3:30:50Yeah.

3:30:52to your point chair on um The reduction of revenues. If we're proactive and and bold on the park's decision

3:31:09It's a it's it's me being hopeful and optimistic. That

3:31:17the vac the the the decision on the parks is that it continues to drive a higher level selling price, even though say the the the home the homestead is what it is, it's capped. But if our park system becomes world class that it drives the selling point in the higher value of the home. And so instead of being, you know, three, four, five hundred thousand today with the current park system

3:31:48and it drives it to six, seven, eight, nine or higher because of the value of our park system. It's a proactive move I think on government on how it can drive values in the ancillary uses such as your, you know, whether it's residential, commercial, other development factors in there. So that's that's kind of the rationale That is the rationale

3:32:18behind my thought process of Truly investing in in in the in the parks and not just necessarily the the net you know shift from a A to B. We're proactive and we set a a a a millage rate that really does the work that folks want. And something happens in the market, well, for our market, our budgetary process, but we put a mechanism in place. that's rehabilitating parts and adding new

3:32:49parts. And because of that continues to drive higher home values. Higher home prices, selling prices and what have you, that's That's the that's the rationale behind my thought process is it being more of a a uh a uh not just have world class but proactive in the sense of if if if the property tax uh referendum does pass. So I it didn't cut either way, it's not an argument, it's just kind of I won't share my the rationale behind my thought

3:33:19process. Thank you, Chairman Mariano.

3:33:21So just throwing it out there, what do you guys think on option Two A, so you have you're lowering the millage, right? And if We I and I know this is not a lot of money when when you it when in the big scheme of things, but if you knock that to four million and then take the million like Commissioner Starkey said, so we take the million from that to make it five million.

3:33:46people would get parks because we just did the surveys and they really want parks. I'm nervous about doing nothing with parks because the people are asking for it. So um With this option we'd still be lowering the millage. People would get their parks and if you look at the parks that would be Completed an option. Uh Two. I mean it stinks that there's no There's

3:34:16nothing on the west side but central and east would

3:34:21Commissioner

3:34:22Yeager. Um what do I finish first? Okay.

3:34:28And I I just think option three is is just too you know I'm saying we're not really

3:34:36Parks doesn't really get anything.

3:34:41'Cause they're at zero.

3:34:45Which one are you saying? Two? Two or two eight?

3:34:48Yeah, so I wanna clarify. So we've got some and I have Extremely apologetic for the confusion. So we've got parks options one, two, three, four, five. And then we've got sample trim notice options and those are slightly different. It's not uh perfectly aligned. My bad. I will do this better next time. Um aligned in the option numbering. So let's walk through um So Commissioner Yeager, we're talking

3:35:18parks option two, where we're adding

3:35:23We're adding I was saying if we added four million, right, and took the million from Pasando, even though you know it's not a lot of money in in the big scheme of things, but I was just throwing that out there. Do you mean four million from say the three million from this option right here from option two?

3:35:44We would be this one. Establishing that's what Amy is saying.

3:35:50Yeah, we kept it very confusing for some

3:35:55option two A would be keeping um Keith's operating budget in the general fund but establishing the MSTU for additional capital maintenance.

3:36:10Which we could reduce to four that's what Right.

3:36:15Yeah, she's saying to go ahead and and and reduce the amount of that capital maintenance bill um and then just make up for that s some other general fund we would we would fund. Correct. I mean it's all it's all in the in the bag of money.

3:36:29And reducing general fund by a like amount so it's a net impact to the taxpayers. Right.

3:36:34My preference is to get to get that started with the MSTU, but uh keep the millage rate the same and supplement him with the Fasano give back money.

3:36:50She wants to keep him in that n not not.

3:36:54I'm sorry, I'll let you guys continue to talk. Right,

3:36:56you want to load mills down. So now I'm seeing a cut in the budget, so So ch to say that we're gonna get a shot up for an MSTU in which could get voted back. I've already got started with the lower millage. Now we've made the situation worse than it would be front.

3:37:09Yeah,

3:37:09I can't.

3:37:10For 2A? For right here? I

3:37:12think what the commissioner's referring to

3:37:13no, no, we're gonna cut the millage, right? And right now, with what we're facing next year. We

3:37:18cannot cut the millage.

3:37:19I mean, that it's gonna be devastating if this goes through. You want to say about protecting parks and libraries? Uh parks? To keep this simple, we've got to we've got to keep the focus on exactly what we're doing. See all the pages we've got to look at to figure out what we wanna go do, how we wanna go structure out, how we take money from here over to there? Try to imagine the public looking at what we're trying to do. I think I think I'm gonna s I'm gonna say it. I think we just need to stay with if you want to protect the parks in the budget this year, protect the parks in the budget this year. We just gotta say we want the money spent, it gets spent that way. I

3:37:49don't need an MSDU to direct it. I don't need this extra mechanism that's gonna cloud everything that's going on out there. If we're gonna go look at looking at what the effect is gonna be and showing people what the effect's gonna be, if this thing goes through that should be our biggest focus. Whether we put an MSTU

3:38:04in right now or not, doesn't matter to my opinion. So what do you think to the citizens they're gonna say they're not cutting my millage right now and then they may vote for the the property tax.

3:38:13We can cut the millage. But I'm saying to throw an MS to you in the midst of all that to say how we're his why we're doing it is not gonna work with me. But the millage

3:38:21would show a reduction.

3:38:25Right? The mills would show a reduction. Right.

3:38:29If you're gonna go for if you're gonna go for that, go for that. But let's get the MS2s out of the cons out of the conversation. However you want to park protect the parks or not protect them, that can be done in the budget discussion. But I'm gonna I'm gonna say as of right now. I don't Like where this is going 'cause I think it's just too confusing to what we want to do. And I and I'm I'm a huge believer in the power because I think We should put 'em in there. But right now, this discussion is going to be about what how devastating everything's going to be, not just parks, libraries, services, etcetera.

3:38:59If this thing passes

3:39:00So what are you saying if you get rid of the the parks MSTU, how much would you allocate to the get rid of it's a fundamental.

3:39:10Like we did last year. Just exactly what you did last year. Okay,

3:39:12we need to be

3:39:13able to do that.

3:39:15Mm-hmm. We don't have to go have an MSDU to say we're going to protect parks. We just say we're protecting parks. It's all encompassing. This is unnecessary stuff. And again, from the discussion we just had, all the effects.

3:39:27I wanna keep it simple.

3:39:29Commissioner Yeager to your earlier point, if if the board wants to to Commissioner Mariano's point. you wanna fund capital maintenance at the full eight million. You let me know that and then we will go back and craft the general fund budget in a in a manner that adds those additional five million dollars, you know, to Mr. Wiley's budget. You know, it'll come from somewhere else, but we'll figure that piece out.

3:39:52But no projects get done.

3:39:54No I mean other than the normal capital slate and I believe what Commissioner Mariano is referring to is uh maintain course and speed um through these turbulent times and then assess Next year.

3:40:14I'm proud of it. He's being like D two in M M S T U.

3:40:22Uh but the language but the language in the MSTU is very good language. It's all encompassing where before it was just the previous MSTU military parks was maintained just maintenance. Yeah, you're right. This one incorporates maintenance and new capital, so that that's that's a good structure of the MSTU even if it does stay at zero. Look, I'm I have to leave here in one minute.

3:40:48A funeral. I I'm willing I I think we're all pretty much aligned here, it's just how we how we get there. But you know, if we have one that's that's on the fence and you know, I I don't I don't feel any pressure and bickering over it. It's just a matter of we all want to try to do the right

3:41:05thing. Which option are you

3:41:07for

3:41:07on this? I wanna

3:41:08s I wanna scrap the MST as well. If we're gonna go look at this and we're gonna focus this thing through, if you want to protect the parks or you want to put more money at the parks, so be it, you can do it. We have control of the budget. I am worried about the following year what's gonna happen and how we're gonna have to go deal with it.

3:41:27I've lived with people screaming all these seniors that couldn't spend two dollars to go to Green Key because they couldn't afford the parking.

3:41:34So are you for option three? Is that what you're for? No option with

3:41:36M STU right

3:41:37now. That's what I'm saying. Option three delay parks MSTU and move and still move rescue to I don't even know if rescue is good later or not.

3:41:46I think the commissioner is saying option four.

3:41:48Well MSTU and FIRE's performing

3:41:51But then the millage session stays the same.

3:41:52Correct.

3:41:53Correct. It's level. Red Mr. Chairman Mariano. Just on your last comment, you already moved rescue into the fire MSTU and so you're gonna be establishing a millage for it this budget season. So that one's sort of a done deal. So it's not

3:42:11with with with a with a minute to go under the pressure, I got two committees getting ready to go. I think this was like a conversation for the future.

3:42:18Good conversation.

3:42:21Yeah, because right now I I don't mind delaying the parks MS to you. Like you said, we can fund it. Um but I I I am for lowering the millage, not keeping it the same. That'll

3:42:32be part of the budget discussion we have coming up.

3:42:34Correct.

3:42:35I'm just I'm just trying to keep it simple that we're gonna I we don't bring in something brand new that we're gonna say well we're doing this to go here People need to keep it s we need to keep it simple to say this is what we're facing, here's how important parks the libraries are, et cetera.

3:42:48But I do want to give them money. Parks. You can do that. Yeah. We can put that in the budget. Yeah. We have full control.

3:42:56With three. With three? On general class, right?

3:42:59We only need three?

3:43:01On general.

3:43:01On general. Yes, ma'am.