NORTH PORT – The most significant revelations from the first of two workshop days about the city of North Port’s 2024-25 budget is that the property tax rate will remain unchanged, as city officials are using about $2 million in unspent American Rescue Plan Act funds to make ends meet, while leaving its reserve fund $537,432 at the required cushion.
On the surface, things look rosy. A 16% increase in taxable city property values – a jump from $8.5 billion to almost $9.9 billion – combined with the 3.7667 mill property tax rate will generate at least $35.8 million in property taxes, a healthy $4.9 million more than this year’s budget, with more than $3 million of that coming through new construction.
Monday’s proceedings did little to change the overall budget. Commissioners achieved consensus to save $6,800 by ending its membership to the National League of Cities and $1,900 by canceling the purchase of challenge coins but also told staff they wanted to spend $75,600 that had been left out of the budget, so the IT department can replace a computer system firewall.
American Rescue Plan Act funds shore up North Port general fund budget
Most of the American Rescue Plan money being used to balance the budget had been earmarked for a joint project with Charlotte County to improve the intersection of Hillsborough and Cranberry boulevards.
Delays in acquiring land needed for drainage pushed the anticipated completion date beyond the required December 2026 deadline.
In addition to the $1.3 million earmarked for that, the expansion of water and sewer to Toledo Blade Boulevard is coming in $274,699 under budget, while expansion of water and sewer to Sumter Boulevard and Interstate 75 came in $451,822 under budget. Combined, that creates the pool of about $2 million.
The federal grant allowed municipalities to use funding for general government services, something North Port did with $570,000 for the 2022-23 budget year.
In total, North Port received $8.4 million in federal ARPA funding following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some city services to be reduced
City Manager Jeome Fletcher said that overall, the budget is built to fulfill the city’s strategic plan, as established by the five city commissioners, though there also about $4.1 million in unfunded budget requests.
“When I say that we’re starting to compromise services, we’re there,” Fletcher said. “The reality is, if we don’t have more revenue coming in, we’re going to have to cut more expenses.”
The board got through 11 departments Monday and were scheduled to finish up with four departments and capital improvement budgets Tuesday morning. But this year’s budget talks were somewhat overshadowed by a Wednesday morning special meeting where the commission will discuss language for a proposed charter amendment that would give the city the ability to borrow money through revenue bonds without repeatedly seeking voter approval.
The city would still need to hold a referendum to issue general obligation bonds, which are backed by property taxes.
Police wait out need for a new station
The commission ended Monday’s workshop with the Police Department.
Fletcher pointed out that even with a proposed $35.5 million in spending and the hiring of nine new people, it was a prime example for his caution about an area where services would be sacrificed without additional revenue.
For example, the department is meeting its goal of a 10-minute average response time within the 104 square mile city, but is straining to do so.
“The police are doing the best that they can and keeping up their (response) rates with the team that they have but they need more than we can provide in this budget,” Fletcher said.
Commissioner Debbie McDowell, pointing to two unfunded 911 operator positions, asked Police Chief Todd Garrison whether the hiring of a proposed recruiting specialist could be cut back.
Garrison noted that as all departments in the area continue to raise their salaries, recruiting is becoming tougher, while the talent pool for 911 operators needs to be restocked too, with that recruiter making an appeal in schools.
The current recruiter also serves as a background investigator.
“We’re starting to see the breaking point of our staff,” Garrison said. “We’re asking staff to keep doing more and more with less and less and it’s a moral issue; people start to break and before you know it, people start leaving you.”
Both McDowell and Vice Mayor Phil Stokes were surprised that a $485,000 request to lease two portable units for extra space went unfunded too.
Garrison said what he needs is a new police station, but added that the department will be as creative as possible.
“The city’s going to continue to grow, our needs, our resources are going to continue to grow and I have a police department to run,” Garrison said. “The safety and security of the city and the people within it are paramount and we’ll make do.”
