Sep 9, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      

Contact: Pete Winton, Lee County Administration, (239) 335-2777
 
BOARD APPROVES $26 MILLION TAX CUT

FORT MYERS, Fla. (September 9, 2005)  At the first of two public budget hearings Tues. night (Sep. 8), the Board of Lee County Commissioners approved a $26-million tax cut for fiscal year 2005-06, which starts Oct. 1.

The annual budget also includes increases for public safety, utilities, community development, solid waste and several major transportation projects, and spending of more than $817 million for operations and new capital projects.  The final public hearing is scheduled for Sep. 22.

The Board approved a $20 million reduction in the general fund (countywide tax rate), which equates to a $74 property tax decrease on a $250,000 home with a homestead exemption.  The Board also approved the rollback tax rate for the unincorporated property tax (a $6.2 million reduction), which equates to an additional $47 tax decrease on a $250,000 home with a homestead exemption for those who live in the unincorporated areas.

This is the fifth property tax rate reduction the County Commission has approved since 2001, as follows (a mill is a $1 tax for every $1,000 of property value):

General Fund
2006 4.2612 mills to 3.9332 mills
2005 4.3277 mills to 4.2612 mills
2001  4.4751 mills to 4.3277 mills

Unincorporated
2006 1.2114 mills to 1.0028 mills (rollback rate)

Library
2005  0.9630 mills to 0.6055 mills

Also included in the FY 2006 budget is:

$377 million for county operations, and an additional $21 million of grants.

$191 million for constitutional officers (Tax Collector, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Clerk of Court and Supervisor of Elections) and court services, including $124 million for the Sheriff's Office (the Board approved a $4 million decrease from the $128 million the Sheriff requested).

$228 million for new capital projects and maintenance items.

$30 million has been set aside in general fund reserves for a revolving loan program to expedite road projects.  Additionally, $30 million of reserves are planned for construction of the downtown Justice Center Annex (expansion), and $16 million was set aside for the potential purchase of Fisherman's Co-op (boat ramp and outer islands garbage transfer site).

Included in the operational funding is $3.6 million for human services/community agencies through the Partnering for Results Program (see list below).

Included in the capital funding is $3.1 million for beach and shoreline projects through the Tourist Development Council and paid for with tourist taxes (see list below).

In addition to the Partnering for Results Program, the county funds the following agencies through its general fund: Ruth Cooper Center ($2.3 million), Southwest Florida Addition Services ($1.4 million), Children's Advocacy Center ($153,400), and the Public Health Unit ($1.5 million).

TOP FY2006 MAJOR CAPITAL PROJECT EXPENDITURES (in millions):

Project    Amount*  Description
Conservation 20/20      27.8  Ongoing purchase of env.-sensitive lands
Jail Expansion       25.9  Replace stockade/400-bed expansion
Estero Parkway Extension      16.0  Over I-75 to Ben Hill Griffin Pkwy.
Three Oaks Ext. South   12.2  S. ext. to Bonita Springs
Waste-to-Energy Expansion      12.0  600 ton-per-day expansion
Airport Sewer Plant       11.5  Sewer expansion in Airport area
Filter Marshes            5.0  Island Park and Three Oaks Parkway
Other significant projects under construction (primary funding in prior years):
Sanibel Causeway Replcmnt       Replacement of all three bridges
Justice Center Expansion       10-story annex
Northwest Regional Library    Regional libary at Mariner High School
Wa-Ke Hatchee Community Park   New park at Bass Rd./Summerlin
Estero Community Park    New comm. park on 65 acres in Estero
Lee County Gun Range    At Buckingham Mosquito Control
North Lee Water Treatment Plant   5 mgd capacity expandable to 10 mgd
Summerlin Road Widening    From San Carlos Blvd. to Gladiolus
*Amounts represent payments scheduled in FY2006, not entire project cost, which could be more because of multi-year funding.

COMMUNITY AGENCIES FUNDING

SUPPORTED LIVING/HOUSING  ($1,040,725)
Lee Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc. -- $268,978
Island Coast AIDS Network -- $278,952
Impact -- $238,121
Senior Friendship Centers of Lee County -- $120,313
Visually Impaired Persons -- $65,018
Children's Home Society -- $42,832
Deaf Service Center -- $26,511

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY  ($1,074,046)
Child Care of Southwest Florida -- $580,112
Lee Association for Retarded Citizens, Inc. -- $221,485
Dr. Piper Center for Social Services, Inc. -- $151,166
Visually Impaired Persons -- $24,998
Deaf Service Center -- $18,916
Goodwill Industries -- $77,369

ACTIVITY FOR YOUTH  ($911,699)
Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Southwest Florida, Inc. -- $225,120
Boys & Girls Clubs of Lee County -- $240,249
Lutheran Services -- $146,738
Children's Advocacy Center -- $123,835
Catholic Charities -- $150,774
Planned Parenthood -- $24,984

BASIC ASSISTANCE  ($553,683)
Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Inc. -- $308,589
Children's Advocacy -- $145,079
Salvation Army -- $50,015
Catholic Charities -- $50,000

UNITED WAY OF LEE COUNTY  ($42,000)

BEACH AND SHORELINE PROJECTS FUNDING

City of Bonita Springs
 Imperial River Canoe/Kayak Launch $75,000

City of Cape Coral
 Four Mile Cove Ecological Preserve Maintenance $25,000
 Yacht Club Community Park Beach Maintenance $26,000
 Yacht Club Community Park Beach Maintenance $15,000

Town of Fort Myers Beach
 Operation Beach Maintenance $140,000

City of Sanibel
 Beach Erosion Monitoring  $35,000
 Causeway Beach Park Shoreline Improvements $90,000
 Dune Walkover Replacement $60,000
 Facility/Beach Maintenance $440,000
 Family Restroom at Bowman's Beach Park $110,000
 Turner Beach Restroom Improvements $40,000 
 Water Quality Monitoring $20,000

Lee County Natural Resources
 Bathing Beach Water Quality Monitoring $10,000
 Beach Renourishment Trust Fund $1,000,000

Lee County Parks & Recreation
 Emergency Beach Cleanup $100,000
 Operation Beach Maintenance $794,700

Lee County Public Works
 Boardwalk Deck Improvements $75,000
 Capitalized Beach Front Park Maintenance $25,000

Total $3,080,700

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