BY DAN HILDEBRAN
Union County commissioners faced questions from residents during a Monday, February 2, town hall meeting about hundreds of people living in RVs and campers who pay nothing into county coffers while using garbage collection, emergency services, and roads funded by property owners.
The meeting at the Providence Community Center was part of a series of public forums on the county’s budget challenges, which laid bare the financial strain on one of Florida’s smallest and most fiscally constrained counties.
The RV Problem
Billy Townsend, a Providence resident, delivered an impassioned statement describing what he called a “cost-sharing imbalance” that has grown unchecked for years.
“There are currently hundreds of individuals living full-time in campers and RVs on private property, and those residents are not paying any special assessments or comparable taxes despite utilizing county-funded services,” Townsend told commissioners, reading from a letter he’d written to the board.
He cited overflowing garbage dumpsters on Sunday afternoons, unknown transient residents, including at least one registered sex offender who failed to register, and the fundamental unfairness of homeowners subsidizing services for people living in RVs rented out by property owners for up to $400 per month.
“I don’t know if y’all have been to the dump on Sunday afternoons out here in Providence,” Townsend said. “Good luck getting your garbage into a dumpster.”
Hands Tied by State Law
Commissioners acknowledged the problem but said their ability to address it remains limited by Senate Bill 180, a moratorium on land development regulation changes that was enacted after hurricanes devastated coastal communities.
“We were one meeting away from adopting a whole bunch of things when we got told by the North Central Florida Regional Planning Council that we could not adopt them,” said Commissioner Donna Jackson, noting the county had drafted amendments specifically to address illegal RV parks and was budgeting for code enforcement when the state intervened.
The moratorium prevents Union County from adopting the special magistrate position needed to enforce code violations without costly court proceedings. County Coordinator Jimmy Williams said the board is seeking an attorney general’s opinion to potentially adopt the magistrate position sooner if the moratorium isn’t lifted.
Townsend indicated he was not persuaded by the commissioner’s arguments and that he had lost patience with the elected officials.
“This is the same song we hear all the time,” Townsend responded. “Nothing gets done.”
By the Numbers: A 38-Year Revenue Gap
The meeting revealed stark financial realities:
– Special assessments for garbage have remained at $70 since 1988, with only a single $20 increase in 2022
– The county collects approximately $316,000 annually in garbage assessments while paying $277,000 in landfill tipping fees alone
– Total solid waste operations cost $1.2-1.3 million annually, with the shortfall coming from general fund reserves
– Adjusted for inflation, the 1988 assessment of $70 would be $204 today
– Emergency Medical Services, also funded by a $70 assessment, face similar shortfalls as call volumes increase
Proposed Solutions
County commissioners outlined several potential revenue sources to address the shortfall without overwhelming taxpayers:
Impact Fees: A $1,000 fee on new home permits could generate $160,000 over two years, enough to purchase a new ambulance. With approximately 80 building permits issued annually, this would place the burden on new development rather than existing residents.
Fuel Tax: Union County has never adopted the five-cent local option gas tax, leaving an estimated $222,693 in unrealized revenue on the table last year. Officials noted that gas companies likely already factor in Florida’s maximum tax rate when setting prices, meaning the county is forfeiting revenue to corporate profits.
“It is not a new tax,” Commissioner Mac Johns explained. “It’s an old tax that we’ve never taken advantage of.”
Bradford County, which has adopted the tax, has cheaper gas prices than Union County, officials said.
Special Assessment Increases: Doubling the garbage assessment to $140 would make the solid waste fund self-supporting again, though commissioners indicated they prefer a phased approach to avoid hitting residents all at once.
Sticker System: Following Bradford County’s example, Union County could implement a resident card or sticker system for dump access, which reportedly reduced non-resident dumping by 30% at one Bradford collection site. The system would cost approximately $1,500 to implement county-wide.
The Landfill Dilemma
Residents questioned why Union County, as host to the New River Solid Waste Association landfill, couldn’t charge more to Baker and Bradford counties for dumping privileges.
Jackson, who sits on the landfill board with Commissioner Channing Dobbs, explained that Union County receives $200,000 annually, $100,000 as a member county and $100,000 as a host, but remains outvoted 4-2 by representatives from Bradford and Baker counties in rate negotiations.
“We are two of a six-member board, and those other four members from the two other counties outvote us,” Jackson said.
A recent rate study found the average tipping fee in the region is $46 per ton, compared to Union County’s $32 rate, meaning closing the landfill would actually cost the county more.
Looming Property Tax Threat
The meeting also addressed proposed state legislation that would eliminate homestead property taxes, a measure that could appear on ballots later this year.
“When you mark that box ‘yes,’ understand what you’re sentencing yourself to,” warned Clerk Kellie Hendricks Rhoades. “You’re taking away our ability to run this county with the services we have.”
Union County would lose 52% of its property tax revenue if the measure passes. While schools and the sheriff’s office are protected by statute, county services like EMS, garbage collection, and road maintenance are not.
Williams noted that Union County’s property taxes are already 30% lower than comparable counties, the result of decades of fiscal restraint that may no longer be sustainable.
Services at Risk
The budget pressures have real consequences for residents:
– The county operates only two ambulances 24/7, with plans for a third dependent on finding funding
– Solid waste suffers as the county struggles to keep CDL drivers at $16.50 per hour.
– A fire station in one district has sat unstaffed for 12 years due to budget constraints.
– Health insurance costs for county employees increased 25% two years in a row, adding over $200,000 annually to expenses.
One audience member told commissioners he’s spent $8,000 on car repairs and replacing tires damaged by deteriorating roads.
“Is there something in the pipeline?” he asked about road repairs.
The answer, commissioners acknowledged, depends on finding revenue sources the county doesn’t currently have.
Residents Willing to Pay—If Everyone Does
Despite the bad news, several residents expressed willingness to pay more if the burden is shared fairly.
“I’m all about paying my fair share of taxes and special assessments,” Townsend said. “I would not have a problem doubling my garbage fees. I just feel like me and Jill, we create just as much garbage as Jim, Bob, and Betty Lou do in the camper they live in down there.”
Another audience member, who told commissioners he moved to Union County from Martin County 10 years ago, echoed the sentiment: “We’re going through a revenue shortfall. We all know we’re going to have to pay some more.”
What’s Next
Commissioners indicated that after completing their series of town hall meetings, they will hold workshops to discuss specific proposals. If Senate Bill 180’s moratorium is overturned by lawmakers as expected on June 30, the July commission meeting could see a packed agenda of ordinance adoptions addressing RV occupancy, code enforcement, and land development regulations.
“That meeting in July, it’s going to be a long meeting,” Williams predicted.
The county also plans to issue a request for qualifications for health insurance to address spiraling costs, and the New River Solid Waste Association will continue negotiations with Alachua County on higher landfill rates.
For now, residents and commissioners alike acknowledge they’re operating in a new reality after decades of maintaining services on a 1988 budget.
“The math didn’t work,” Jackson said. “It hasn’t worked for a long time.”
