She lays out the case that the Lake County Board ignores the impacts of growing valuation on collecting more taxes, especially on property owners that are commercial or don't have homesteads.
And, County Board candidate Doug Shields, running against incumbent Tim Sullivan linked to Lauren's article in a campaign email and blasted Sullivan for attack mailers when Shields actually sent them out first. Shields makes the claim that Sullivan and other Board members approved $30-million in new taxes. But, they didn't actually RAISE tax rates but did not approve the full rollback rate, which then generated $30-million over 3 years in added tax collections for the County based upon increased valuations, more homes being taxed, etc. (Ok, if this is not clear, please provide clarity in the comments).
Meanwhile, Josh Blake, who is also running for County Board re-election, usually resists any taxes, and wanted to approve the rollback rate to reduce tax collections, but was outvoted. So his opponent, Todd Luce, can't blame him for voting to continue high millage rates, thus is blaming Josh for not voting to increase budgets (paid by the increased collections) for the Sheriff. There clearly is an underground effort by South County and other interests to cook up attacks on all three County Commission incumbents running for re-election, using attack mailers.
All Lake County, FL property taxpayers need to read Lauren's article how their tax bills will go up because they have not challenged existing City and County elected officials and demanded a full rollback rate. Many cities have reduced their millage rates SLIGHTLY and crow about it, while not going to the rollback rate. Just reducing the millage rate is not the answer, but approving full rollback rates IS the answer.
Why should local governments be giving out 2-3% wage raises (my research) and increasing tax collections when most non-government employees are suffering due to the Pandemic caused economic collapse? Perhaps it is time to dump ALL current incumbents (except for Mascotte, which implemented the rollback rate).
New house buyers will get a shock on their next tax bill COMING SOON, along with commercial property owners and non-homesteaded property owners. All property taxpayers should consider voting out all City Council and County Board incumbents up for election who have not implemented the full rollback rate this September when budgets are finalized. Most city council elections are on the November ballot, so pay attention and vote out those who don't approve a full rollback rate.
Because I don't like half documented hit piece email or mail campaigns, and County Board members Blake, Breeden and Sullivan were all targets, I suggest voting for them in the primaries to show your disdain for their opponents who sent out nasty mailers, but if the County and City officials don't all vote to approve full rollback rates in the September final budget hearings, vote them all out in November. It is time local government staff and elected officials show empathy with all their constituents who have been blasted by the Pandemic economic failure and start reducing spending, wages, BENEFITS and taxes in "solidarity" with their constituents.
(Note: California went through a similar economic crisis in the late 1970's, and I worked for the County of Los Angeles then, when they passed Proposition 13 and froze all hiring and wage increases, so I know what it is like, but those employees still HAD a job and were mostly not laid off while non-government employees were losing wealth and income every day.)
This post is my personal opinion and any clarifications to my statements should be submitted in the comments for possible revisions.
by Vance Jochim
FiscalRangers.com
Vance Jochim
[email protected]
YouTube Channel "FiscalRangersFlorida"
