Bradenton Beach commissioners voted Sept. 7 to approve the first reading of the city’s proposed budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
City commissioner Jake Spooner was absent with excuse.
Based on the revenue and spending plan approved by the commission, the city will be enacting an 8.54 percent tax increase, mostly because of increased property values.
At a meeting July 15, the commission voted unanimously to approve a tentative millage of 2.3392 for next fiscal year’s property taxes.
The millage is the same rate as the current year.
At the meeting Sept. 7, the vote to retain the millage carried unanimously.
Millage is $1 per $1,000 of assessed property value. At 2.33 mills, the ad valorem tax on a property valued at $600,000 will be $1,398.
To avoid raising property taxes, the city would need to adopt the 2.15 rollback rate. The rollback rate is the millage needed to produce the same revenue as the current budget year.
The gas tax, which was cut from 0.64 percent to 0.36 percent for Bradenton Beach, lowered the expected revenue for the city by $19,950.
The gas tax is imposed on every gallon of motor fuel, excluding diesel, sold in Manatee County. Enacted in 2006, the tax is distributed to the municipalities to be used for transportation costs and cover capital improvements.
There are several proposed expenditure increases incorporated into the proposed budget.
Police department expenditures rose from $955,200 in 2015-16 to $1,022,416 for 2016-17, partly due to a 7.66 percent increase in salaries and wages.
City planning expenditures rose from $273,688 in 2015-16 to $358,769 proposed for 2016-17. This represents an 11.77 percent increase. Increased expenditures include a 36.58 percent increase in salaries and wages, from $40,000 in 2015-16 to $54,631 in 2016-17. Additionally, professional planning services increased 158 percent from $31,200 in 2015-16 to $80,500 in the 2016-17 budget.
Proposed pier expenditures showed a decrease of 10.93 percent, from $31,000 in 2015-16 to $27,700 in 2016-17.
This does not reflect the proposed $50,000 in community redevelopment agency funds that would go toward the replacement of the floating day dock and associated services, including attorney and consulting fees.
The city commission voted 4-1 Sept. 7 for a joint resolution of CRA funds and city funds. The vote carried with Mayor Bill Shearon casting the only dissenting vote.
Shearon said he is concerned that continued city spending will lead to a deficit in general funds.
City budgets are assimilated in an ordinance and require two public hearings and two votes.
The final public hearing for the tentative final budget will be at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22, at Bradenton Beach City Hall, 107 Gulf Drive N.
Bradenton Beach
2016-17 tentative final budget
Total proposed budget expenditures: $2,974,876
Total proposed capital projects and reserves expenditures: $204,000
Total proposed budget revenues: $2,999,211
Total net: $24,335
Ad valorem tax revenue: $1,185,127
Approved millage rate: 2.33
Rollback rate: 2.15
Percent of increase: 8.54
2015-16 budget
Budget expenditures: $3,000,855
Budget revenues: $2,814,336
Reserve spending: $186,519
Ad valorem taxes: $1,065,000
Millage rate: 2.33
Rollback rate: 2.15