City Council Member Brown promises a vote against property tax hike (He as a Yes)

[Patricia M. McBride]

However, an increase in property tax should be expected, he said.

Posted: September 24, 2010 - 7:46am

By Caren Burmeister

Jacksonville City Councilman Dick Brown has promised to vote against a proposed 25 percent property tax rate increase for Beaches property owners when the issue comes up for a final vote Tuesday.

But Beaches property owners should still expect an increase in Jacksonville's property tax rate regardless of what happens, said Brown, whom the governor appointed about two weeks ago to fill the council seat overseeing the Beaches.

Brown introduced an amendment at Tuesday's Finance Committee meeting proposing 3 to 5 percent salary cuts for non-union employees that would reduce Jacksonville's budget by roughly $600,000.

It's unclear how that reduction, and another $3.5 million in budget cuts suggested by the Finance Committee, would affect the final tax rate.

"It's hard to predict where it will go now," Brown said. "It will be a crazy meeting. It's going to be high drama."

Jacksonville has proposed a tax rate of $10.1193 per $1,000 of assessed property value for 2011. That's a 9 percent tax rate increase for most Jacksonville residents.

Jacksonville charges Beaches property owners a different tax rate for the services it provides, such as libraries, roads and the county jail. That proposed rate of $6.8286 per $1,000 of assessed values is 25 percent more than last year's Beaches rate of 5.448.

Brown said he's received about 10 e-mails and calls from concerned taxpayers, "some with a really desperate feeling about this. There could not be a worse time to impose tax increases on people."

The tax hikes come as a slap when many people have been critical of high-paying government jobs, Brown said.

"You hear about a tax increase and it doesn't sit well," he said.

Therefore, Brown said he suggested a 3 percent pay cut for city employees who earn less than $60,000, 4 percent for those making $60,000 to $100,000 and 5 percent for staff who get paid $100,000 or more.

Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton has already pitched a 3 percent pay cut for members of the city's police and fire unions, which is still in dispute. If those two unions refuse to accept the offer, it could lead to layoffs.

Brown said many non-union employees have already agreed to pay cuts and that managers can decide how to distribute them within their own departments.

When the tax rate is presented Tuesday, the rates for Beaches and Baldwin will be voted on individually, Brown said. As the rate stands now, he won't go for it.

"It's just too big an impact on the Beaches so I intend to vote no," Brown said.

Based on the Sept. 14 preliminary vote, 13 council members supported the tax increase, which is one vote shy of three-quarters majority needed to adopt such a big increase.

If no one changes their mind about the tax rate hike, the Beaches property tax rates will be lower than expected.

If that happens, the council will have to reduce the city budget or force Jacksonville property owners to make up the difference.

Brown voted yes for the tax increase during the preliminary vote, saying that if there weren't enough votes at that time it would have automatically set in motion $45 million in budget cuts.