Brooksville Prepares For Belt-Tightening

City officials might not have to use the word "slash" to describe this year's budget process.

Unless the city council decides to drastically reduce the millage rate, Brooksville won't face a huge drop in ad valorem revenue despite plummeting property values. But city government will certainly have to do what many of its residents are already doing - prioritize and stretch every dollar even farther to meet the basic needs.

"It's going to be tight," Finance Director Steve Baumgartner said. Baumgartner said he expects the city's general fund to be in the same neighborhood as last year - about $8.7 million.

City Manager Jennene Norman-Vacha is asking staffers to take a conservative approach to the budget by using last year's millage rate, he said.

The millage rate is $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value. Last year it was 6.32 mills. At that rate, a property worth $150,000 with a $50,000 homestead exemption would see a tax bill of $632.

That rate brought in about $3.4 million in ad valorem revenue last year. To bring in the same amount of money and still keep ad valorem taxes the same, the council could set this year's rate at 6.58 mills, or the so-called rollback rate.

Norman-Vacha didn't return a call seeking comment.

The council will set the tentative millage rate at its next regular meeting, slated for 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 201 N. Howell Ave. The tentative rate, mailed to residents next month, is typically set a little higher than the council expects the final rate to be.

Mayor David Pugh said he hopes the council can manage at least a modest tax cut, but said that will be a difficult task considering how many pressing capital projects the city faces.

Among them is the need to replace the city's hobbled air-conditioning unit. Estimates of that project have been as high as $200,000. There also are street repairs that can't be put off much longer, he said.

And then there is next year.

Because property assessments lag a year behind, the next budget is likely going to be much more difficult, officials agree.

Pugh said that should be top of mind this year.

"We have to plan for worst and hope for the best," he said.