The Orlando Sentinel
WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. — The City Commission moved forward Monday night with a controversial new fire fee meant to replace tax revenue that previously had been slashed from the budget.
Commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of an ordinance that gives commissioners the ability to create the fire fee, said Mayor John Bush, with commissioners Joanne Krebs and Rick Brown voting against it.
But commissioners ran out of time to take up the next step, a resolution that would set the fees. Not enough commissioners wanted to continue with the meeting past its 10 p.m. deadline, Bush said.
Bush said he was not certain when the second step would be taken.
Bowing to tax-cutting pressure from the Legislature, Winter Springs dramatically cut its tax rate for this budget year, planning to replace lost revenue with a flat fire assessment fee that could have been up to $256 per house. But the idea came under attack when it became apparent that many residents in lower-valued homes would end up paying more, not less, to the city in combined property taxes and fire fees under that system.
Now the commission is moving forward with a new system that would base fees on square footage. The fees would start at $115 and increase based on square footage. Homes 2,000 square feet or larger would pay at least $230 and houses 4,500 square feet or larger would pay more than $300 in fees, according to one plan presented to commissioners.
Copyright 2008 Sentinel Communications Co.