Sep 20, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      
Contact: Pete Winton, Lee County Administration, (239) 335-2777
 
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVES FY 07-08 BUDGET

FORT MYERS, Fla. (September 20, 2007) – At the second of two public hearings tonight (the first was Sep. 6), the Board of Lee County Commissioners adopted the Fiscal Year 2007-08 County Budget and supporting property tax rates.

The Board of Lee County Commissioners reduced overall tax rates by 7.6 percent.  The tax rate reductions, in five of the county's six property tax funds, are as follows (in mills, dollars per $1,000 of taxable property value):

General Fund – 3.5216 to 3.2662*
Capital Improvement Fund – 0.4536 to 0.3844*
Conservation 20/20 – unchanged at 0.5000
Unincorporated MSTU Fund – 0.9300 to 0.8398
Library Fund – 0.4085 to 0.3793
All Hazards – 0.0733 to 0.0693

*now combined into one fund rate of 3.6506

The reductions represent a $45 savings for every $100,000 of taxable property value.  Lee County Government and the county's Constitutional Officers represent about one-third of a homeowner's property tax bill.

The budget next year for operations and new capital projects is $949 million, a 1.5 percent increase over this year's adopted spending of $935 million.  The primary reasons for the increase are service demands due to population growth (30,000 new residents), inflation, and staffing and operational costs for a jail expansion.  The county's new fiscal year begins October 1.  Included in the budget is:

         $454 million for county operations (a 1.2% increase from $449).

         $225 million (an 8.6% increase from $207 million) for constitutional officers (Tax Collector, Sheriff, Property Appraiser, Clerk of Court and Supervisor of Elections) and court services, including $158 million for the Sheriff's Office (11.6% increase).

         $270 million for new capital projects and major maintenance items (a 3.2% decrease from $279 million).

         State mandated programs represent about $25 million, a 19% increase from this year.

         Included in the operational funding is $4.1 million for human services/community agencies through the Partnering for Results Program.  Also, the county funds the following agencies through its general fund: Lee Mental Health ($2.8 million), Southwest Florida Addiction Services ($1.8 million), Children's Advocacy Center ($206,250), the Public Health Unit ($1.7 million), and Family Health Centers ($400,000).

         Included in the capital funding is $5.4 million for beach and shoreline projects through tourist taxes.

         Included in the operational funding is $225,000 of Arts & Attractions Grant Awards through tourist taxes.

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