Commission passes 1.8872 millage rate

The Longboat Key Town Commission moved forward by a vote of 6-1 a fiscal year 2010-11 budget on first reading that includes a town manager-recommended tax rate of 1.8872 mills.

The new tax rate, if approved on second reading later this month, would be 25.8% higher than the current town tax rate of 1.5 mills. One mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 of assessed valuation.

Only Commissioner Robert Siekmann voted against the suggested rate and the budget as proposed.

Commissioner David Brenner received support from the rest of the commission for the tax rate as well as a suggestion to set aside $1 million in reserves to be applied to offset future rising pension costs.

Brenner made the suggestion after explaining the money would only be given to the pension plans once the commission is more comfortable with the way the town’s three pension plans are handling the plans and its losses.

“I would not give the pension funds a dime until I was comfortable the way they were managing their affairs in our best interests,” said Brenner, who noted the town still is responsible for paying $1.7 million in rising pension costs this year and $2.8 million the following year because of rising unfunded liability.

The budget will be approved on second reading at a special meeting 5:01 p.m. Monday, Sept. 27.

The commission also agreed to attend a Manatee County Commission meeting 9 a.m. Tuesday in Bradenton to make its case for why the county should continue to operate its trolley on the Manatee County portion of the island.

Vice Mayor Jim Brown noted in the accompanying video why he believes the town needs to fight for the trolley route.

Also at its 7 p.m. meeting tonight at Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, the commission:

Appointed:
• Commissioner David Brenner to the Sarasota County Tourist Development Council.

Authorized:
• The town to draft a resolution that urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue efforts to dredge the authorized channel of Longboat Pass.

Contact Kurt Schultheis at [email protected].