Anna Maria Island’s three cities each have stated their thoughts on potential consolidation.
And there’s been one common thread: not one of the cities supports consolidating municipalities.
The island cities voiced their concerns in separate responses to information requests from the Florida Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability.
The Islander obtained the responses via public record requests the week beginning Dec. 18.
OPPAGA is a research arm of the Florida Legislature that provides data and analysis that assist budget and policy deliberations.
The study was proposed in January by Rep. Will Robinson Jr., R-Bradenton, and backed unanimously by the five-member Manatee County Legislative Delegation.
OPPAGA sent each of the island cities a request for information in November. The requests included 15 questions, many requiring responses related to the past five fiscal years.
Out of all of the questions and answers, two stood out.
OPPAGA asked the cities to provide “a description of any ways that services for your city could be consolidated with other cities on Anna Maria Island that would result in savings to residents.”
Anna Maria provided a handful of ideas for limited consolidation with the other municipalities in its response, such as islandwide consolidation of code and law enforcement services.
The city wrote in its response, “Establishing a single law enforcement agency for the entire island, either as a single ‘Anna Maria Island PD’ managed by the three cities or using Manatee County Sheriff’s Office deputies, could potentially save significant ad valorem taxes and expand the scope of services.”
The city proposed a centralized pool of public works equipment not used every day, as well as consolidating the cities’ public works into a single centrally located work center.
Other proposals included pooling a centralized workforce for islandwide public works functions, such as beach cleanup, mowing and sign maintenance.
Bradenton Beach also posed a handful of ideas for limited consolidation, such as evenly administering the Florida building code across all three cities and creating an islandwide solid waste department or collectively bargaining on a franchise agreement for waste management.
However, the southernmost island city wasn’t as willing to consolidate police forces.
The city wrote, “Consolidation would remove a lot of control from the ‘local agency’ and would have a significant adverse impact on community-oriented policing for Bradenton Beach.”
Holmes Beach also expressed concerns about the possibility of consolidating law enforcement services, such as challenges with the transfer of pensions and a location to operate an islandwide police force.
The city also expressed doubts with the potential savings earned by consolidating building and planning departments.
Nevertheless, its response proposed centralizing efforts toward street sweeping and addressing the island’s landscaping needs, such as mowing and tree trimming.
In another question, OPPAGA’s asked for “a description of the benefits and challenges to individual citizens as well as to government operations related to the following potential options for local governance on Anna Maria Island.”
The question posed three options:
- “All three cities on Anna Maria Island are consolidated into one new city on the island”;
- “All three cities on Anna Maria Island were incorporated as part of the city of Bradenton”;
- “All three cities on Anna Maria Island remain as incorporated municipalities on the island and work to consolidate existing services where that makes sense.”
The city of Anna Maria wrote in its response that the first two options would result in a loss of cultural diversity, increased tax rates, as well as loss of jobs and municipal home rule.
The city’s response stated that incorporating the island cities into Bradenton would result in a 275% increase in ad valorem tax rates for island residents, who enjoy an average millage rate of about 2.1, due to the mainland municipality’s 5.7726 millage rate.
“Either scenario is disruptive and almost certain to be met with strong legal opposition, thus making such an effort costly as well as time-consuming,” the city wrote.
The city noted that option 3 would “be the least disruptive and potentially reap the quickest taxpayer savings. Island businesses, residents and visitors could all benefit.”
Bradenton Beach wrote in its response that consolidation of the island cities would result in a loss of personalized services and community individuality.
The city wrote, “Nearly everyone who is invested in the communities share the same opinion: that the charm of the island and why they chose to live or visit is for the eclectic feel of three distinct communities, and that the cost borne by the taxpayers is well worth the expense given the specialized local service and the unique experience of having a government close to the people.”
Holmes Beach wrote in its response that the third option was nearly free of drawbacks and would allow the cities to maintain their staff and unique codes while working together to synergize on certain matters.
On the other hand, it offered mixed thoughts on option 1 and almost entirely negative takes on option 2, which the city stated would result in extensive organizational and logistical issues.
Holmes Beach replied, “While there is often synergy developed when combining resources and collaborating with different thoughts and ideas, there seems to be limited potential for this if the island cities are combined with the city of Bradenton.”
The study is to be completed by July 2024.