By Logan Neill, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
BROOKSVILLE — The Brooksville City Council adopted a property tax rate of 6.37 mills at its final 2010-11 budget hearing Wednesday night.
The rate eases the burden on taxpayers somewhat from the 7.0 mills proposed at the council's first budget hearing. The higher rate had been proposed after the council put on hold a plan to implement fees to help support Fire Department operations.
The rate for the current year's budget was 6.069 mills.
One mill is equivalent to $1 of tax for each $ 1,000 of assessed, nonexempt real property.
Before the adoption of the lower rate Wednesday night, City Manager Jennene Norman-Vacha told council members that she and her staff had been able to find an additional $245,000 in savings that came mainly from staff reductions. In addition to cutting $33,000 from the Fire Department's budget, staffers culled $98,000 by deciding not to fill a full- and part-time position at the city's Quarry Golf Course.
The money-losing golf course, which is closed while it undergoes renovations, was the subject of a letter to the council from a group of local business leaders who wanted to see it permanently closed.
Council members agreed that they would address the facility's future at a later date.
Logan Neill can be reached at lneill@sptimes.com of (352) 848-1435.