The Southwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board voted Tuesday to combine the Hillsborough River and Northwest Hillsborough Basin Boards.
The decision comes after the Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and Conservation and the state’s Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability both suggested the District consider merging Basin Boards where appropriate.
In response to these recommendations, District staff thoroughly reviewed all of the Basin boundaries within the District. Staff determined that at least two-thirds of the projects funded by the Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board are co-funded by the Hillsborough River Basin Board. Merging these two basins would eliminate duplication and save the District about $50,000 annually in staff resources and travel.
The Hillsborough River Basin Board has a millage rate of .2547 and the Northwest Hillsborough Basin Board has a millage rate of .2421. In the Hillsborough River Basin, the FY2009 Basin Board tax for an owner of a $125,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption is $19.10, or about $1.59 per month. In the Northwest Hillsborough Basin, the FY2009 Basin Board tax for an owner of a $125,000 home with a $50,000 homestead exemption is $18.16, or about $1.51 per month. The difference between the two basins is 94 cents a year, or about 8 cents a month.
Because there is a .0126 difference in millage rates, the Governing Board suggests the lower millage rate for the newly combined Basin Board. However, this rate would not take effect until October 1, 2009, which is the start of fiscal year 2010. All projects would continue to be funded at their current rates until that time.
All seated Basin Board members will transfer to the newly merged Basin Board. The Governor has the sole discretion to appoint or reappoint members and will determine future membership.
The two basin boards will be merged into one board in January.