Council raises recreation and beach fees, lowers millage
Despite some good-natured quibbling over a millage rollback and bumps in recreation center user and beach parking fees, the Sanibel City Council has approved its operating budget for the next year.
The roughly $51.4 million budget reflects the city’s priorities, council members unanimously agreed at the Sept. 16 final budget hearing.
Mayor Kevin Ruane had argued in favor of lowering a rollback in the city’s millage rate to 1.9902, agreeing to the council’s push for a few points more to 1.9995, or roughly $40,000 in valuation. The council voted the overall budget unanimously at 5:53 p.m. Budget figures show that islanders pay roughly $1,255 for city services. Taxable property values average about $519,000, according to the city.
In debating the millage rollback, a couple of the council members joked that the mayor’s nickname should be “pinchpenny.”
“If that’s the worst you can say about me,” the mayor said, “I’m OK with that.”
Council at the hearing voted to bump recreation center user fees for both islanders and guests; 5 percent and 10 percent respectively. There was debate before the council settled the rates, all of which was about fee hikes. New resident rates apply to islanders, on and off-islanders working for the city; 10 percent for visitors and member-guests. The general budget continues to subsidize recreation programs, however, Mayor Ruane said.
The city also bumped sewer and reclaimed water fees by 3 percent; beach parking fees from $2 to $3 per hour.
The millage rollback was a central issue in the hearings, with members expressing pride that Sanibel is anxious to cut the cost of living when possible, Councilman Marty Harrity said.
“Nobody touches (rollback) rates anymore,” he said. “Wellwe did.”
Sanibel’s tax collections in fiscal 2014-15 are budgeted at $8,599,712, including the millage rollback, according to estimates presented at the meeting by Finance Director Sylvia Edwards. Taxable value is some $4.3 billion, reflecting a 4.82 percent bump in the values of taxable property in 2014.
There was also debate over spending, including set asides for technology services and equipment of nearly $800,000. The city is also considering beach parking cameras. The mayor suggested revisions to technology and other costs in the coming weeks.
In a side bar, Sanibel at its Sept. 16 budget hearings recognized the services of Mike Valiquette, a former Planning Commission chair, and retiring Police Officer Kurt Schulte. Both men were commended for their services to the community.