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Century Could Add 10% Tax To Gas, Water, Electric Bills; Charge Others 25% More
February 6, 2018
The Century Town Council held discussion Monday night about a new tax up to 10 percent that could be levied on electricity, municipal water, propane and natural gas within the town limits.
Consultant Buz Eddy, former Gulf Breeze city manager, explained the revenue opportunities available to the town under the Municipal Public Service Tax (MPST) The tax can be implemented in any amount up to 10 percent, Eddy said.
“It’s always good to stabilize and diversify your tax base,” Eddy told the council. He said Gulf Breeze once collected a 4.5 percent but now collects 7 percent. That he said amounts to about $20 per month on his personal water, natural gas and electric bills.
In addition, the town council learned they could an additional 25 percent premium to the bills of those outside the town limits that use town water or natural gas services, and the ability to add up to a 5 percent communications tax to phone and internet bills.
Implementation of a MPST would require and ordinance and 120 days notice to the Florida Department of Revenue, with a possible implementation date by July.
Eddy said the tax revenue would be available to the town in their general fund.
The town council took no action on Eddy’s recommendations.
Pictured above and below: Consultant Buz Eddy explains possible new tax revenue to the Century Town Council Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
38 Responses to “Century Could Add 10% Tax To Gas, Water, Electric Bills; Charge Others 25% More”
Century is the poorest city in all of Florida… How could anyone even think to do this to the citizens who are already living well below poverty level .
The best favor Century could do for itself is to hold a referendum to unincorporate. Then vote to do just that. There is really little or no benefit to the community by having a local governmental municipality. A community ad hoc or standing committee could be established by the county commission to meet locally and convey needs to the BCC. Utilities could be merged or privatized.
When does it stop??? Can the citizens afford any more?? What few are left here. look around you….people are not knocking down doors to move here…..may be just the opposite.. .people leaving. COUNCIL!!, look at your base, what is the average age of people living here.? STOP the INCREASES!!!!! Give those of us left here a break instead of asking us to pay more……PLEASE!!!!!
Stop buying…spending…. we can’t afford it!!!
Thank you for considering this request.
actually I was wrong about the math also..see my error?
@M in Bratt
ok please spell out how to do that?
What will the county charge on our bills to keep the street lights on? will it be a county MSTU then?
What will the county do to pay for the new lift stations and a new waste treatment plant. Will they treat it like they are doing at Innerarity Island?
Just how does that all work and how is it an advantage?
Can you explain the LOST funds and The LOGT. How will that be handled?
What about forming a new water board, who will take that over?
What about ECUA rates and services (if they come in)? What will they charge each resident for the grinder pumps and hook ups and separate meter for sewage? Will the people in the area then be on the hook for ALL the capital improvements all over the county?
What about the Enterprise fund, the special fund, What about the grant money the incorporation is eligible for and revenues from the census?
Explain it all please in detail, them maybe we will listen to you if not it sounds like an argument ad nauseam ad infinitum.
Please educate us if you are able. I think you can’t.
@chris
Did you come up with some different math than that if so explain. Or are you satisfied with this explanation?
and as for the percentage increase, I am wrong. I was looking t it from the perspective of raw increase, $50 to $80. My bad.
@Resident: Unfortunate that that reality appears negative to you.
Sounds like a great plan!!!!!!!!!!!!!. The broke and dying town of Century is going to tax itself into prosperity. Much larger cities all over the country have tried this one, and they are still broke, and still dying. The citizens of this town should think about taking Century off life support and sending it to Hospice so it can die in peace. Sell the assets; water, gas and sewer to pay off the debt, and let the county take over the very few remaining services. But wait, if we do that, we can’t have the continuous comedy show from the Town Council Meetings.
Eliminate City Hall problem solved.
“To calculate the percentage increase: First: work out the difference (increase) between the two numbers you are comparing. Then: divide the increase by the original number and multiply the answer by 100.”
50/80 = .625 x 100 = 62.5 % increase total
But from what I remember the sewer portion increased 100% during the raise rates (doubled is a 100% increase)
she said about 50%..chris quit being a troll..
@ chris ____with all the negative input… May it return to you threefold.
The current web site and the bidding for the new web consultant convinced me that folks need to be educated, but when consultants make fees off their recommendations……I have a problem if a person thinks a poor person paying a 25% increase is on the same footing as a more wealthy area where utilities are a much smaller percentage of their income. Folks are having a hard time paying their utility bills. I would suggest this gentleman go to the Gulf Power building in Milton and spend an hour listening to people who cannot pay their utilities let alone a tax, beg not to have their electric turned off and asking for payment plans. The Hubris of these so called experts who think ” “It’s always good to stabilize and diversify your tax base,” How this town keeps repeating the same mistakes is beyond me.
@Chris ..my original bill was around $50. 50% of $50 is $25. So.. $50 +$25=$75. I pay around $80 now. Is that not more than 50% increase?
Instead of taxes attract some businesses besides fast food restaurants, no industry in the industrial park. If Castleberry, AL can attract two plants why can’t the leadership of Century get out and find some instead of raising taxes. Bout ready to move to Alabama!
So the town of Century is having financial problems.What can be done? Well in business you tighten the purse string first. In the real world a business owner can’t just place a TAX on all the customers! Here are a few things to consider.
Leverage assets for greater efficiency
1) Eliminate all employee OT unless the work is a matter of public safety or reg compliance
2) Eliminate nonessential positions (Trim the fat)
3) Stop all nonessential purchases ( Make do with what is available )
4) Eliminate payments to nonessential and incompetent third party contract services
5) Stop installing splash pads and acting surprised when the water bill is delivered
6)Assure city operations are efficient and cost effective (This is not a difficult task if you know how to do it)
7)Enter all monthly expenditures and revenue into the public record during council meetings (Salary/Wages, Third Party Payments, Overtime Log, etc)
Most importantly, use revenue generating TAX only as a last resort. Be sure that those things that can be done to reduce operational cost are addressed first.
Actually this is a newer version
http://edr.state.fl.us/Content/local-government/reports/lgfih17.pdf
All the additional local government in Century isn’t financially viable, much less stable? Hard to believe.
@ Chelleepea: explain how an increase from about $50.00 to around $80.00 is a 50% increase.
Gulf Breeze and Century have connection with the same attorney and sign off on some arrangements. After the audit I read the attorney was helping to straighten it out. A town attorney should understand the state stattutes, ordinances and means of running a local government. Buzz Eddy is the retired town manager of Gulf Breeze. If the incorporation of Century fails they can’t get that second signature for CTA. It is prudent for them to partner with Century to get them on their feet. Consult for no fee to make up for past failures of those that should have been involved. I think the accountant and consults should be pro bono to make it up. Go to bat on Triumph for Century. Not because they are poor but for your own reputation. We see you.
Thought and ideas:
If Century raises the bills 25% to people who are on their services but not within the town, those may want to come in and ask to be annexed to reduce their utility bill and be eligible to be on the council as part of the governance. Once they were put on the water line and sewer line and their waste is going into the waste treatment plant, if their property tax ad val-rem is not going into the general fund then they have not been contributing for years to the tax base and census for getting revenue. Yet the infrastructure, lift stations, pipes etc have to be replaced.
That was on the Comprehensive Pan (strategy) filed with the DEO years ago.
I say raise the bill to State of Florida for the Correction Center, not the residents inside the town limits. Impose a service fee to them to pay for a lift station or two.
Also challenge the Fire Fee that was imposed on district five. Learn the difference between MSTU and MSBU, was it legal? why was it county wide?
If Century has been paying Danhaisser all this time and also a town accountant –why has this gone on so long? It could have been being managed a trickle at the time and not come to this crisis. They failed us and took advantage of Century.
Whose fault it it? starts with an E and ends with an E.
EVERYONE (s)
But here we are.
I assure you if the incorporation falters and it goes under D5 the county will have no issue whatsover to impose a MSTU/MSBU and get it straightened out. The incorporation will still allow for grants.
Live and learn. Century did not take any action on this yet but they better be doing their homework.
No need for Drama.
Knowledge of the law–State statutes, ordinances, government fiances and ability to run a town is our only recourse.
This publication need to be in the hands of all the council and mayor and employees and citizens. If Century is going to remain we have to learn how to run it.
it is a government financial handbook.
http://edr.state.fl.us/Content/local-government/reports/lgfih16.pdf
It’s three hundred pages.
Each employee, council, and citizens need to be up on the code of ordinances and the charter also.
https://library.municode.com/fl/century/codes/code_of_ordinances
We are in this together.
Why in the world would anybody want to be annexed into Century? For real?
It is unbelievable that Century is even thinking of once again raising the utility bills for its residents much less acting on this.
Getting someone that has succeeded in a Town such as Gulf Breeze, FL (one of the richest places in this area) to make recommendations to Century, FL (one of the poorest places in this area) is absurd. I lived in GB with all the “surcharges” added to utility bills and since I was making about double what I make in Century it was no big deal. On a whole my total utility bill in GB for water, sewer, gas and garbage was much less than I am paying here in Century.
I know Century is in financial trouble. This was NOT caused by the residents of Century. There has to be some “out of the box” thinking to bring NEW funds into this area rather than continually raising the cost to live here.
Raising Utility Bills in Century, FL is NOT The Answer.
Our water/sewage/garbage bill has already gone up more than 50%. It use to be about $50 now we pay around $80. I understand why it went up and we’re ok with it but it must be a struggle for those elderly on a fix income.
I agree that those outside the city limits and businesses should be charged a little more but for the rest of us I hope they hold off since we just had a big increase.
Go ahead vote to up my natural gas tax 25% and you’ll loose me as a customer. I’ll go all electric! (Right now, your gas is no cheaper than electricity!)
Isn’t it better to get something rather than nothing?
Try me, see what happens. You’ll have to remove my meter and return my deposit. I’m betting there will be more to do the same!
lord Trump Giveth and the Town of Century finds ways to taketh!!!
just saying
Century is not GulfBreeze remember those people in Gulf breeze has better homes and jobs here in century we live week by week and some lives month by month I guess we could all go back to putting water wells down and using the water that God gave us and not pay another tax on water this needs to stop we don’t need taxes we need jobs in this area
This is Crazy!!! We need new people in office that are going to make it better for residents in Century not worse! keep raising water bills etc and people are gonna start leaving! i cannot even get water leaks repaired in a timely manor then they tear the road up and don’t fix it making property values decline because our roads and yards etc look like CRAP!!!!!!!! wake up folks!!! Century is the laughing stock of Escambia County!!!
absolutely outrageous, NO NO NO
how about charging tax on groceries since everyone has to eat and that way everyone would share the expense and not just the working tax paying folks .
Good way to filter out the poor – tax them out of the city. If you can’t afford to live in the city, move.
Ok, just kidding… I think a group of people once escaped an oppressive government and declared themselves independent. They founded a country, I think it was called… The United States of America.
The spasmodic death agony of a dying town. Less and less of a tax base, so what’s little is left must be further squeezed. This is the death spiral.
What does Century do for anybody anyway? Can someone explain to me why I should pay a higher electric bill for being in this town? Isn’t that between me and Gulf Power? If this keeps up there will be no one here left to tax!
Time to vote that bunch out of office….. On my way to install solar cells and drill a well!
You have to be kidding! There would be all new people in city hall next election. This town does not have enough businesses, or people that work for a living to support this idea. NO
Time to do away with Century’s town government and turn it over to the county. It is becoming a government out of control with its greed and TAX, TAX, TAX! I’ve said it before, the government is like a drug addict; after it’s hooked on your money all it wants is more, more, more! I was thinking about getting natural gas from Century, but the town has the highest gas rate in the Southeast already. And I won’t pay an additional 25% for it.
Yep its always good to have citizens pay more for less especially in economically depressed areas. Same reason Milk is like $4.00 a gallon yet in wealthier areas milk is under $2.00.
Good grief! Remind me why Century exists again? There is no police dept, so just dissolve the “town” and turn it back over to the county.
WE DO NOT NEED NO MORE TAX WE ARE TAX TO DEATH WHEN IS IT GOING TO STOP
Can’t you use that to fund the new development (apartment) lift station and not put it on all the residents? (Like an impact fee for new development) Can the 25% increase encourage people outside the town limits to annex in and improve the property tax base? Put the 25% on the CCI? I have often wondered why the comprehensive plan had Century increase the urban services boundaries and the plan to annex never manifested. Now years later the infrastructure servicing the Correction Center has gone past its useful life.
I think Century is fortunate to have the consultation services of “Buz” Eddy from what I read about him.
Just don’t want our bills to go up any more. Yikes!