BY MARK J. CRAWFORD
Telegraph Editor
STARKE— Although discussion of new fees and assessments was briefly shelved, the reality of balancing another budget with savings had county commissioners more resolved than ever to approve new revenue sources.
Commissioners were presented with the next steps to impose electric franchise fees and a special assessment to fund the fire department.
Increasing the $75 special assessment on solid waste was also discussed during the Sept. 6 commission meeting.
Chairman Chris Dougherty said increasing revenue has become a topic at every meeting.
“It’s time to rip the Band-Aid off and figure out what we need to do,” he said.
Resurrecting franchise fees means negotiating with the utility companies, according to attorney Will Sexton. Florida Power and Light has always been willing to negotiate a percentage that would be passed along to its customers, with the caveat that Clay Electric customers pay the same fee.
Sexton said Clay Electric’s takeaway from discussions is that there was a groundswell of public opposition to franchise fees. But only a few customers from this area out of thousands spoke out, he said. The next step is to approach the utility again.
“Their stance heretofore has been to try to dodge over and over again. But I think that’s primarily based on them calling your bluff and thinking that you would eventually back down. And if that’s not the case, then I’ll be interested to see how they respond,” he said.
Commissioner Carolyn Spooner pointed out a franchise fee would be calculated based on a customer’s bill. As much as 5.9% could be added to those bills — for many resulting in a few more dollars a month.
Special assessments for services like solid waste are paid once a year, added to a property owner’s tax bill. The amount of an assessment can and has shocked and angered residents each time an assessment for fire rescue services had been brought up.
The cost of providing fire department services, for example, would be spread across residential and commercial properties, with the amount of money the county is trying to raise determining who pays what. The county’s contribution toward a department’s budget can help reduce the amount of the assessment individuals pay, Sexton said. The hundreds of dollars discussed in the past may not apply.
“We’re not that far off from having the balanced budget that you’re talking about. So in terms of what is the deficit that needs to be met, every little bit is going to help, particularly if you’re looking at multiple options, like the franchise fee and the assessment,” he said.
Spooner said they should take a look at setting a more reasonable cost than discussed in the past. Getting started involves approving a resolution of intent to consider one or more franchise fees next year, then inviting the former consultant back to work with the latest numbers.
That could also include setting a higher assessment for solid waste, which is not covering the department’s costs.
“What we’ve got to understand is if we want the service, we’ve got to pay for them,” Commissioner Diane Andrews said.
Dougherty said it’s not about advocating for higher taxes but about filling holes that have gone unfilled for years.
“The only other way is that we close collection sites, we cut another ambulance crew out,” he said.
