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Mistakes May Force Century To Try Again To Approve Property Tax Increase
September 27, 2019
Due to several oversights or mistakes, the Town of Century may be forced to try again to approve their property tax rate for the fiscal year that begins October 1.
Last Monday night, the town council approved a millage rate of .9204, which is about 10% greater than the rolled-back rate of .8361.
The levy of property taxes in Florida are governed by the Truth In Millage (TRIM) Act that dictates numerous steps that must be strictly followed. Improper steps can result in all state revenue being withheld for the fiscal year.
After NorthEscambia.com became aware of several possible violations of the TRIM statutes, we reached out to Interim City Manager Buz Eddy with the concerns earlier this week. Town staff contacted the Florida Department of Revenue (FDOR).
The concerns included:
- The tax increase was approved by the Century council at a meeting on Monday, September 23 . That was the same day the Escambia County Commission held their final budget meeting, but Florida law states “the hearing dates scheduled by the county commission and school board shall not be utilized by any other taxing authority within the county for its public hearings.”
- A “Notice of Proposed Tax Increase” noticed published in the Tri-City Ledger incorrectly listed two different proposed tax levy amounts.
- The “Notice of Proposed Tax Increase” newspaper ad was the missing the statement “A FINAL DECISION on the proposed tax increase and the budget will be made at this hearing” as required by the FDOR.
In addition, the town discovered in conversation with the Florida Department of Revenue that they may be required to hold another meeting since there were only three council members in attendance at the meeting last Monday, according to Eddy.
“We may need to readvertise and hold another meeting since there were only 3 council members in attendance,” Eddy wrote in an email to council members and NorthEcambia.com “We were advised by Mr. (Wyatt) Peters (FDOR) that we should submit our documents to his office for review. He will comment and advise as to other action that needs to be taken.”
“We are following up and we will let you know what adjustments are required,” Eddy concluded.
Pictured: Century council members Ann Brooks (left) and Sandra McMurray-Jackson await the arrival of councilman Luis Gomez in order to conduct a budget hearing Monday night. Gomez was running only about threes minutes late, and the council proceeded with three of five members at the table. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
19 Responses to “Mistakes May Force Century To Try Again To Approve Property Tax Increase”
REGARDING:
“Ann Brooks, you do taxes every year for people. Why can’t you account for the lost in revenue. ”
She doesn’t have to account for the lost revenue. It is clear they have been buying and spending more than they have been taking in by way of taxes, fees, and sales.
It is the charter responsibility of the mayor to keep them fully informed.
From what we have read over the years, for whatever reason, the mayor obviously has not done so. (Many have complained over the years that she kept asking for information, as if that weren’t her duty and the mayor’s duty to give it. Way too many people want a king or dictator and the women to stifle themselves.)
Paying someone else to do the mayor’s job for him has led to them finally getting some light on the subject.
David for honest workers
Is the town hiring anymore managers or giving out anymore loans, I’d like to know so I could apply please seems like easy money!
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise said Gomer Pyle…
we are in a mess, something has to change. problem is the people of century are responsible in part for voting the incompetence into office. friends don’t always make the best managers.
When you are corrupt…and do the same thing year in and year out ITS NOT A MISTAKE….ITS PREMEDITATED
I don’t understand why people of Century have to pay for incompetence or dishonesty of the people that are responsible for the proper running of the city government. Is there not some type of Federal organization that can be called in. it’s obvious that something or someone needs a thorough investigation.
@Resident….Your way is good….. that will be one of their resources to keep up with. I know my way is old fashion but there’s a lot of info on DOR website……this way they have something at their fingertips with focus on municipality…..and I wasn’t only talking about property tax procedures……I was talking about all procedures in every department.
It seems like every election or addition of a new employee everyone is on their own without any set guidance. JMHO
OVERSIGHT, They do have a t.v series, Actually two, One is called the Office and the other is called Park and recreational
((((Time to fold the circus tent in Century. Too many clowns in the ring and none knows what the heck they are doing. The Town hires an “expert” and look at what is still going on. You could script this for a comedy reality T.V show. lol! But in the mean time while Rome is burning, the wastewater treatment facility (or as David put it, WTF) continues operating in a malfunctioning condition and polluting the Escambia River.)))))
Why do we still have these same people running the town. It’s clear none of them are doing the job they are suppose to do. Ann Brooks, you do taxes every year for people. Why can’t you account for the lost in revenue. Unless you had a part in it. Now the town of Century has to pay for your mistake. How is that fair, the Council and board should be removed. The Mayor of Pensacola should appoint candidates and let the people of century decide and vote. That town is not going to grow if you keep letting the same people run it. None of you knows what your doing. Half of you don’t even show up for the meeting. It’s a mockery. People of century, If your not happy with the situation or how things are going. You do have the right to remove them from the board as well as the right to appoint a new mayor and board. Please people stand together and demand this. Send complaints to the Pensacola Mayor. Keep spreading the word. Let people know what they have done and are doing because if you don’t then your a part of the problem. If you don’t then Century will dry up and die.! If you don’t, You can’t be mad at no one but yourself. Stop complaining and do something about it.
“get with FLDOR write down the exact procedure put it in a binder along ”
There’s no need to do that. The FDOR has a complete, step-by-step, word for word guide that explains ever step, every word into in the ad and what to do. It’s a complete how to manual. It’s openly available on the DOR website.
It almost seems like the administration may be trying to do the right thing, but, due to inexperience, or hurrying too much, mistakes keep occurring. However, in any business, at some point you have to decide if the ROI is no longer sustainable.
Sigh……ok, so ……they need to have a procedural book……get with FLDOR write down the exact procedure put it in a binder along with other procedures…..have someone responsible in checking and updating the procedure every year. Give copy of binder to every council and mayor.
Ruth,
you are indeed correct. These are not obscure laws/regulations that rarely come up, they are ones that come up annually during the budgeting process.
From everything I have read on this news site regarding the Mayor/Commission, I think they have reached a point of no return and its time to throw in the flag. And since they don’t look prepared to make that decision, the State needs to intervene and pull their charter.
Thank you william for bringing every bit of this nonsense to light. Thanks to you guys, hopefully enough fire will be lit to get these clowns (who have been doing this for years,but yet still cant get it together) out of office.
Century is run by people who have NO clue as to what is legal, what rules to follow, how to do things right and generally ignorant of how to run the town. They need to all sit down and read the charter together, then read the Florida Statutes that apply to them, then read all the other necessary documents…TOGETHER. They need an education or they do indeed need to fold the circus tent!
pitiful, i know they are trying to do what they think is right but they just keep digging a deeper hole.
Sheeeeesh, seems the ONLY thing these carpetbaggers can get right is to deposit their own paychecks at their banks.
Pillagers of the Town of Century.
Would make for a good novel but nobody would believe the “Stuff” that happens in the name of “leader-ship”.
Time to fold the circus tent in Century. Too many clowns in the ring and none knows what the heck they are doing. The Town hires an “expert” and look at what is still going on. You could script this for a comedy reality T.V show. lol! But in the mean time while Rome is burning, the wastewater treatment facility (or as David put it, WTF) continues operating in a malfunctioning condition and polluting the Escambia River.
Can this town not do anything right?