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NEWS FROM DEPUTY VICE MAYOR BENSON
With the end of the summer break, renewed attention
is being focused on the implementation of a budget that has been reduced
tremendously as a result of the Legislative mandate to all local governments to,
“reduce taxes and give fiscal relief to the taxpayers of Florida”. The new tax
year will start on October 1st and the City, through staff and the Commission,
will began with a reduced tax rate that will not exceed $4.7340 mills, a
reduction from the current rate of $6.0200. This equates to a tax relief of
taxes, paid to the City of Lauderhill, in the amount of $3.8 million Dollars.
The staff and the Commission will have our work “cut out “ for us as we act to
secure that the reduction in services will be seamless from what you have been
accustomed to and what the City will be able to deliver, given the reduction in
dollars the City will have available. Our City Manager in his budget
presentation for FY ‘07/’08 assures that the budget, “provides for sound fiscal
management through the allocation of limited resources”. I can assure you that
the expenditure of funds for the delivery of services will be to meet the
expectations you desire for the health, safety and welfare of our citizens and
to maintain our status as an All America City.
Looming in the background is a decision each of us
must make come January 29th, 2008 as it relates to property taxes. The state
legislature passed a bill for property tax relief and the Governor signed it
into law. This law requires a special election to be held to vote on a state
constitutional amendment to cut property taxes even further and it is to
coincide with the presidential preference primary. I would urge each of you to
get as much information as possible to make sure your vote will be cast from an
informed position and not from the “political rhetoric” I’m sure is going come
from the camps of support and those in opposition. It will be a decision you
should make after careful review and deliberation because too much is at stake
for the future of our tax supported services in the state, county and the City
of Lauderhill.
Frank Ortis, President, Florida League of Cities and
the Mayor, City of Pembroke Pines have appointed me to membership on the
Municipal Service Delivery Council. This Council has the responsibility to
discuss, decide and recommend a course of action on the many issues facing the
cities of our State that will come before the Legislature during the 2008
Legislative Session, more to come during later reports to you on this topic.
Today, I am celebrating another birthday and I am
reminded of the advice my daddy would say to me as I had begun to advance in
age. His comment was taken from an old Irish saying: “Do not resist growing old,
many are denied the privilege”. So today I celebrate and as of midnight tonight,
August 29, I shall look forward, in eager anticipation, to the next one.
Until next time, Stay well!!
Hayward J. Benson Jr.
Deputy Vice Mayor
P: 954-730-3015
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