Walton County budget

So the question we have to ask ourselves, what services are we willing to pay for? Sara did not vote for the current millage as it was proposed, is she also opposed to a millage increase to have the same $$'s as last year or is her goal to reduce the $$'s collected and if so where are her suggestion for cuts? Wrobert, I would prefer to hear from her and not you on this, unless you are representing her in some fashion. Thanks

This vote had nothing to do with services. They voted to OVERFUND the budget by selecting this rate. The budget itself was actually less than last year so a vote to fund the budget would have still resulted in a millage rate increase. But there were two issues here, one, the budget, which is obviously still contains positions that they have already agreed are not needed, and two, the tax rate, which they set high enough to fund the budget and have over 2.5 million dollars left.

Oh, and FF2, I also have her email address if you need it.

Alright, this was the reason I sought her veiw and not yours, so let me clarify what I think I already asked.
"Sara did not vote for the current millage as it was proposed, is she also opposed to a millage increase to have the same $$'s as last year or is her goal to reduce the $$'s collected and if so where are her suggestions for cuts?"

This is why I asked Sara for her to reply, because this allows everyone the opportunity to hear from her.

As for your view, although I appreciate it, it was not what I asked for and I can assure you I understood what was being done, thanks to Bob Hudsons' post. I was looking for an answer to my question and you did not provide that, thanks anyway for your input.

I too have her email address but her office is just down the road from me, so maybe I should just pop in and ask her, although I would not quote her here as then I would be speaking for her and that would not be fair and there are times that what is said is not what is heard.

Was there a 3-2 vote last year on this issue? Just trying to remember who voted for what for the final budget.

so does this mean our property tax bill will be 20% higher than last yr when the bills come out in sept-oct?amazing as people reeling from real estate crash and gull spill disaster to rentals will have higher tax bills waiting.This will cause even more strategic foreclosures as many who are already udnerwater 30-40% on there values will see no reason to hold even though they have the financial means

Was there a 3-2 vote last year on this issue? Just trying to remember who voted for what for the final budget.

Last year the commissioners voted unanimously to approve a 3.3563 millage rate, a reduction from the 2008-2009 millage rate, which was 3.3644, and they cut approximately $10 million from the county budget. About a month after that millage rate was approved, it was raised administratively to 3.4076 mills because taxable property values on some properties had been reduced and otherwise revenues would not have been sufficient to fund the budget that was approved. The administrative change to the millage rate did not require a vote by the commissioners.
I have a question about last week's budget workshop. Was the tentative millage rate that was approved the roll-back rate?

Last year the commissioners voted unanimously to approve a 3.3563 millage rate, a reduction from the 2008-2009 millage rate, which was 3.3644, and they cut approximately $10 million from the county budget. About a month after that millage rate was approved, it was raised administratively to 3.4076 mills because taxable property values on some properties had been reduced and otherwise revenues would not have been sufficient to fund the budget that was approved. The administrative change to the millage rate did not require a vote by the commissioners.
I have a question about last week's budget workshop. Was the tentative millage rate that was approved the roll-back rate?

Yes, but it is about 2.6million dollars greater than necessary to have a balanced budget.

I have never seen this happen before !

so does this mean our property tax bill will be 20% higher than last yr when the bills come out in sept-oct?amazing as people reeling from real estate crash and gull spill disaster to rentals will have higher tax bills waiting.This will cause even more strategic foreclosures as many who are already udnerwater 30-40% on there values will see no reason to hold even though they have the financial means

No it doesn't . Your total taxbill is a combination of the taxrates (millage rate) set by each taxing authority where you live. If you live in South Walton your tax bill would include the taxes set by, the BCC, Northwest Florida Water Management District, South Walton Fire District, South Walton Mosquito Control District and the Walton County School District.

The increase in your taxbill will be itemized on your trim notice and is the aggregate of each of those tax rates. Another way to think of this would be thus: You make a purchase and the taxes calculated would be 7% this year compared to 6% last year.

The second component of this is the value of your property. Last year it had a taxable value of 300,000 ( 300,000x6%= 1800.00), this year its value is 290,000 ($290,000x6.5%=$1875.00)

You property's market value was set January 1 of 2010. Your taxable value is determined this way (market value - exemptions= taxable value).

On my property the net effect of the initial rate calculates to a 14.8% increase in my property tax bill from the BCC action.

Your mileage will vary based on many factors such as homestead, age, veterans status, widow/widowers status and comparable sales to your property.

Some people may see less of an increase and others will see more based on the conditions specific to their property.

In 99% of the specific properties your taxes are going up! Homesteaded properties purchased prior to 2003 will see the greatest increase. Their are about 8000 properties that are in this specific category (homesteaded purchase prior to 2003).

The example given at the Budget meeting showed a $224.00 increase on a property with a value of $300,000. This is just the BCC portion and excludes any increase based on the rates set by the other taxing authorities where you actually reside.

Bob, in most cases would it still be an advantage taxwise to have a property that is homesteaded and purchased prior to 2003, as compared with a nonhomesteaded property purchased later than 2003?

No it doesn't . Your total taxbill is a combination of the taxrates (millage rate) set by each taxing authority where you live. If you live in South Walton your tax bill would include the taxes set by, the BCC, Northwest Florida Water Management District, South Walton Fire District, South Walton Mosquito Control District and the Walton County School District.

The increase in your taxbill will be itemized on your trim notice and is the aggregate of each of those tax rates. Another way to think of this would be thus: You make a purchase and the taxes calculated would be 7% this year compared to 6% last year.

The second component of this is the value of your property. Last year it had a taxable value of 300,000 ( 300,000x6%= 1800.00), this year its value is 290,000 ($290,000x6.5%=$1875.00)

You property's market value was set January 1 of 2010. Your taxable value is determined this way (market value - exemptions= taxable value).

On my property the net effect of the initial rate calculates to a 14.8% increase in my property tax bill from the BCC action.

Your mileage will vary based on many factors such as homestead, age, veterans status, widow/widowers status and comparable sales to your property.

Some people may see less of an increase and others will see more based on the conditions specific to their property.

In 99% of the specific properties your taxes are going up! Homesteaded properties purchased prior to 2003 will see the greatest increase. Their are about 8000 properties that are in this specific category (homesteaded purchase prior to 2003).

The example given at the Budget meeting showed a $224.00 increase on a property with a value of $300,000. This is just the BCC portion and excludes any increase based on the rates set by the other taxing authorities where you actually reside.

I appreciate your efforts and explanations. Now, what can we do? Are recalls possible? Can we ask for this to be put on the ballot? Are there remedies I am missing? What do you reccommend?

Bob, in most cases would it still be an advantage taxwise to have a property that is homesteaded and purchased prior to 2003, as compared with a nonhomesteaded property purchased later than 2003?

No it would not. Homesteaded property purchase prior to 2003 will most like have a built up SOH (Save Our Homes) balance that must equalize with market value before they see a reduction in their market value. They are actually going to see an increase of 2.7% in value based on the "recapture rate". Even thouugh their market value may have dropped by 30% they will see a 2.7% increase in their just value. (recapture is a provision of the SOH legislation that allows the taxing authority to increase the just value of the property by the CPI (consumer price index or 3% whichever is less).

In most cases the just value on homesteaded property purchased after 2003 will have equalized by this time and they will see a reduction in both market and just value that accurately reflects the decreased value of their property based on the actual market value adjustments seen in the last year.

It should be noted that the most affected will be long term permanent residents.

Second home owners (non-homesteaded) will see a major reduction in their taxbill and permenant residents will bear the cost of the increases.

This is a flip flop of years past where just the opposite was true.

I appreciate your efforts and explanations. Now, what can we do? Are recalls possible? Can we ask for this to be put on the ballot? Are there remedies I am missing? What do you reccommend?

The WCTA is holding a called Board meeting on Tuesday to develop a plan of action that we will ask the taxpaying citizens of Walton County to participate in.

The citizens of Walton County have two more opportunities to object to this rate. The BCC must hold two "Public Hearings" and take public comment on their proposal. The taxrate can come down but except under certain circumstances can not be raised. Their are many questions that they should answer (avoided many of them on Tuesday and tried to deflect the questions)


The called meeting is necessary because the informational campaign we had already developed never considered that the BCC would take such an action to actually set a rate higher than necessary.

Their action is truly unprecedented and will be detrimental (in our opinion) to the economy of our County.

We are trying to understand their logic and exactly what their plan is for utilization of the excess.

Recalls are not a possibility in Florida.

let's vote them all out and start over! They have not saved any money just told you what you needed to hear or see

let's vote them all out and start over! They have not saved any money just told you what you needed to hear or see

Amen, vote every single one of them out at the first opportunity. And keep voting um out until we get people who understand what is going on.

If you continue to vote them out then you have the bureaucrats running things.

In my opinion we would have a hard time voting them all out. And so many people trust them and refuse to see the truth and how they lye

In my opinion we would have a hard time voting them all out. And so many people trust them and refuse to see the truth and how they lye

So in your opinion, those of us who won't vote them out are mislead and are easily manipulated?

who is not easily manitulated and told what to do. I have no quarrell with you

I also heard that a new road grader is to be purchased. In the discussion it was stated that there are two graders per district. Please tell me that means are 10 graders total and that they are used as needed throughout the county. Please tell me that district 5 (Mirimar Beach Area) does not have two graders that are assigned to it and that Commissioner Pridgeon has two in his district. There are hardley any dirt roads in District 5 but many miles in the North end of the county.

If you continue to vote them out then you have the bureaucrats running things.

New blood will change the bureaucrats out so we get them too.

No, they will just replace them with new ones who will carry on the tradition of those who placed them in there and then there will be more in the future who will want to replace those that you are thinking are doing a good job with those they think will do a better job.

One question that has not been answered is what are the employees getting out of all this money? Salaries do help local business by giving people more money to spend. But I have been told by a couple of county employees that they are not getting any pay raises this year, including merit pay and longevity pay. Is this true? If so it makes this whole thing smell even more if that is possible.

One question that has not been answered is what are the employees getting out of all this money? Salaries do help local business by giving people more money to spend. But I have been told by a couple of county employees that they are not getting any pay raises this year, including merit pay and longevity pay. Is this true? If so it makes this whole thing smell even more if that is possible.

The budget presented and approved has no additional compensation for employees - Question was asked by the WCTA.

Budget can be adjusted at either of the two public hearing.

Millage rate is now capped, but can come down except under certain specific circumstances covered under the statute.

One question that has not been answered is what are the employees getting out of all this money? Salaries do help local business by giving people more money to spend. But I have been told by a couple of county employees that they are not getting any pay raises this year, including merit pay and longevity pay. Is this true? If so it makes this whole thing smell even more if that is possible.

Can you imagine the torches and pitchforks at the next BCC meeting if they dared to give a cost of living raise?

I realize that the county employees are high on the hog, they should be able to survive a couple more years on 2006 salaries.

Can you imagine the torches and pitchforks at the next BCC meeting if they dared to give a cost of living raise?

I realize that the county employees are high on the hog, they should be able to survive a couple more years on 2006 salaries.

I for one think a raise for the lower end employees would be defensible and most people would at least understand that. Especially if it were tied to a campaign to encourage spending that money locally. But if that was the plan, why didn't they just say that? The whole thing smells IMHO.

I for one think a raise for the lower end employees would be defensible and most people would at least understand that. Especially if it were tied to a campaign to encourage spending that money locally. But if that was the plan, why didn't they just say that? The whole thing smells IMHO.

I completely agree. However, I have a feeling that the overage is basically a contingency amount. Why they wouldn't just add a line item to the budget is beyond me since that money could very easily be rolled to the next year. As it stands they are asking for a huge un-budgeted lump sum of money.