District approves proposed millage rates

The Southwest Florida Water Management District Governing Board Tuesday adopted its proposed Fiscal Year 2009 (FY2009) millage rates for the General Fund and the eight Basin Boards.

The Governing Board adopted a proposed FY2009 millage rate of 0.3866 mill for the District’s General Fund, which is the same as the current fiscal year. FY2009 will run from Oct. 1, 2008, through Sept. 30, 2009.

The total proposed FY2009 budget for the District is $375.8 million, 4.9 percent lower than the adopted budget for FY2008, which was $395 million. The $19.2 million decrease in the budget is primarily due to the $20.6 million reduction in ad valorem tax revenue from FY2008. The total budget includes the General Fund, Special Revenue Funds and Capital Projects Funds. Special Revenue Funds include the eight watershed basins and their Basin Boards, Surface Water Improvement & Management (SWIM) Program and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Mitigation program.

Almost half of the FY2009 budget, $168 million, is designated for the District’s Water Supply and Resource Development and Cooperative Funding programs, resulting in projects that focus on managing our water resources and developing sustainable alternative water supplies. In most cases, these projects and programs also receive matching funding from the District’s public, private and agricultural partners.

For the owner of a $125,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption, the FY2009 Districtwide tax would be $29 a year, or about $2.42 per month. The Basin Board taxes would range from $11.13 per year in the Manasota Basin to $27.76 per year in the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin. The proposed FY2009 millage rates adopted by the Governing Board will be used by county property appraisers when mailing out Truth in Millage (TRIM) notices of proposed property taxes to residents. The District’s proposed budget includes funding for Water Supply and Resource Development projects, cooperative funding projects and the SWIM Program.

Water Supply and Resource Development

The District has tentatively budgeted $117 million for the development of additional new sustainable water supplies. Examples of water supply and resource development projects include reservoirs, regional pipelines to connect water supply sources and projects that focus on the use of surface water in agriculture. This includes $16.6 million in state funding. The Governing and Basin Boards have a long-term financial plan through 2025 to meet regional water supply and resource development needs.

Cooperative Funding Program

The District has tentatively budgeted $51 million for cooperative funding projects, which are proposed by local governments, are usually funded equally by the Basin Board and the local cooperator. Examples of cooperative funding projects include reclaimed water projects and projects that improve water quality, reduce flooding or conserve water. These projects must support the District’s responsibilities of water supply, flood protection, water quality and natural systems.

Surface Water Improvement and Management Program

The District has tentatively budgeted $12 million for SWIM Program projects, which focus on improving water quality and habitat restoration. Half of the funding comes from state SWIM funds. The goal is to protect, restore and maintain the District’s priority water bodies, which include Tampa Bay, Rainbow River, Banana Lake, Crystal River/Kings Bay, Lake Panasoffkee, Charlotte Harbor, Lake Tarpon, Lake Thonotosassa, Winter Haven Chain of Lakes and Sarasota Bay.

Two statutorily required public TRIM hearings on the District’s total budget will be held in September. The first will be Sept. 16 at 5:01 p.m. at the District’s Tampa Service Office.

The Governor’s office will review and approve the budgets of all five water management districts before the second and final public hearing.

The District’s second and final TRIM hearing will be Sept. 30 at 5:01 p.m. at the District’s Brooksville Headquarters. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Governing Board will formally adopt the final millage rates and budgets. The public is welcome to attend any Governing Board or Basin Board meeting to provide comment on the proposed budgets.

The adopted proposed FY2009 millage rates and proposed budgets are as follows:

N/A = not applicable