PASCO
COUNTY, FLORIDA
INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
TO:
Honorable Chairman
and
DATE:
1/25/02
FILE: ES02-1033
Members of the Board of
County Commissioners
THRU:
Daniel R.
Johnson
SUBJECT: Public Hearing on Intent to
Use
Assistant County
Administrator Uniform
Method of Collecting
(Public
Services) Non-Ad
Valorem Assessments
FROM: Anthony F.
Lopinto
REFERENCES: All Comm.
Dists.
Emergency Services
Director
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
It is recommended that the data herein presented be given
formal consideration by the Board of County Commissioners.
DESCRIPTION AND CONDITIONS:
On December 11, 2001, the Board received the report presented by Government Services Group, Inc. (GSG).
On January 8, 2002, the Board directed staff to proceed with advertising for the public hearing in accordance with Section 197. The advertisements were published in the Tampa Tribune and the St. Petersburg Times on January 12, 19, 26 and February 2, 2002. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the St. Petersburg Times did not publish the advertisement on January 12, 2002. However, the Tampa Tribune's publishing of the advertisement on January 12, 2002 met the legal requirements, as only one paper is necessary.
The purpose of the resolution is to impose special assessments for the provision of fire services. As a result, the County intends to use the uniform method for collecting non-ad valorem special assessments for the cost of providing fire services to property within the unincorporated area of the County as authorized by Section 197.3632, Florida Statutes, as amended, because this method will allow such special assessments to be collected annually commencing in November 2002, in the same manner as provided by ad valorem taxes. The adoption would reflect that the levy of the assessments is needed to fund the cost of fire services within the unincorporated areas of the County. This resolution was drafted and prepared by Virginia Delegal of Nabors, Giblin & Nickerson, PA (NG&N).
The resolution, which does not obligate the County to use the method or impose a special assessment, must be adopted by March 1, 2002, and a copy of the fully executed resolution must be mailed to the Florida Department of Revenue, the Pasco County Tax Collector, and the Pasco County Property Appraiser by March 10, 2002. This resolution is nonbinding and the County can reduce the areas covered by any future assessments or decide not to go forward with the assessment program at a later date. By adopting the attached resolution, the County is simply reserving the right to use the tax bill collection method beginning in November 2002.
Additionally, Phase II (Scope of Services) of the study to be conducted by NG&N and GSG requires Board approval
ALTERNATIVES AND ANALYSIS:
RECOMMENDATION AND FUNDING:
The Emergency Services Department recommends that the Board approve Alternative No. 1, authorize the Chairman to execute the original resolution provided, and direct Secretarial Services to distribute the resolutions as follows: one original to be retained by Secretarial Services; one copy to OMB, New Port Richey; one copy to the Emergency Services Department, Land O' Lakes; one copy to the Property Appraiser, Dade City; one copy to the Tax Collector, Dade City; and one copy to the Florida Department of Revenue.
ATTACHMENTS:
APPROVED AGENDA ITEM FOR
DATE
BY