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Belleair Shore quietly adopts lowest tax rate on beach
By DAVE SHELTON
Article published on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2006 |
BELLEAIR SHORE – There was no discussion and only one witness as the Town Commission last week adopted the lowest tax rate on the barrier islands.
A budget of less than $90,000 and a tax rate of under 52 cents per $1,000 of taxable valuation were unanimously adopted without comment on Sept. 20. The only member of the public attending the meeting was a news reporter, unlike other government agencies that have been besieged by taxpayers this month pleading for lower taxes.
The 2007 budget is $6,500 more than the town’s current budget, an 8 percent increase. But, Mayor John Robertson explained, because of rising property values, the city can use a lower tax rate to collect enough money from property taxes to support the new budget.
Last year the rate was 72 cents per $1,000. That’s about a 30 percent reduction in the rate, but homeowners’ tax bills may still go up because of their higher assessments and increases in county and school taxes.
In other business during the meeting, the commission introduced ordinances that are intended to eliminate short-term housing rentals in the city and establishing a “magistrate” to enforce all town codes. Previously, code violations went unenforced, according to City Attorney John Elias.
Elias has explained that, once adopted, the code would require the city to hire a state-certified magistrate to sit in judgment of allegations.
“This should stop the problem,” said Robertson as the commission unanimously approved the two ordinances establishing the rental restrictions and creating the town magistrate’s court.
According to Elias, the city ordinance mirrors the restrictions in the county’s rental code. He said this would restrict rentals to no less than 30 days and no more than three leases per year on any property. All rentals would have to be registered with the town in advance, he added.
Belleair Shore may have only one or two homes among its 60-some property owners that are leased, Commissioner Ray Piscitelli noted.
Public hearings on the two codes will be held before the commission’s final consideration during its Wednesday, Oct. 18, meeting.
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Article published on Thursday, Sept. 28, 2006
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