By Kristen Hernandez
Pompano Beach, FL – During a tense city commission special meeting in September, commissioners voted 3-2 to raise property taxes by 10% starting this fiscal year. Additionally, the Pompano Beach Emergency Medical Services District tax, or EMS tax, was also raised to 11.21%. The proposed tax increase is based on the general operating millage rate of 5.2705.
“Every year, we’ve got to match up the expenditures and revenues,” said Mayor Rex Hardin, during the meeting. “The city is at the mercy of higher expenses like everyone else. Gas costs more, everything does. I’m not trying to minimize anything, but the numbers are the numbers. Ten percent is still ten percent, and no one wants that. The decision is not taken lightly, but a lot goes into providing all the services we provide for the residents of this city.”
Although a notice was sent out in August notifying every property owner within the City of Pompano Beach about the budget meeting schedule, just a handful of residents attended.
After a previous budget meeting, commissioners may have taken lack of public participation as approval of the tax increase. Resident Mercedes Morasse directed her comments at District 5 commissioner, Barry Moss, echoing a majority opinion. “During the last budget meeting, Mr. Moss said in a pompous way that since only four people showed up, that must mean residents support the increase. I’ve got news for you, Mr. Moss. No, it doesn’t. Leave us alone and don’t raise our taxes.”
Not all the city commissioners agreed with the proposed hike. Commissioners Alison Fournier and Beverly Perkins both voted against the tax increase. Although Vice Mayor Andrea McGee verbally sided with them, she eventually voted in favor of the 10% jump.
“One of the drivers [of the tax increase] was the referendum of half million that was voted on to pay teachers,” Fournier said. “We have a lot of overhead expenses, but I think there’s an opportunity there for cost reduction. I wanted to pass a motion to reduce or find $400,000 of cost savings that we didn’t save with Sand and Spurs. We could reduce charitable donations and overhead expenses.”
Fournier referred to the recent commission vote to continue funding local equestrian park, Sand and Spurs, which had a $400,000 price tag. But questions circled about the ability of Pompano Beach’s city manager, Greg Harrison, to make unilateral financial decisions on projects under $75,000, without voting approval by commissioners.
“I voted no for this budget because of the proposed taxes,” Perkins said. “We need to know how this money is being spent. We can’t give him [Greg Harrison] a blank check to do what he wants. Spending is too high.”
Some residents in the area are still financially reeling from the setbacks experienced during and after the coronavirus pandemic. Rents in the area have substantially increased and so have the costs of homeowners insurance. Some homeowners around the city have been forced into foreclosure because of the excessive financial burden. Working renters unable to afford the massive rent hike have contributed to a new generation of homelessness.
“Raising our property taxes by this much and the appraised increased values are not realistic,” said local resident and business owner, Michael Sully. “It’s unsustainable. I don’t know where you want us to get that money from. Come up with a better plan. This doesn’t work.”
Commissioners briefly discussed the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year for the city of Pompano Beach, and even on that subject, they were divided. Voting ended at 3-2 in favor of a city budget of $400,154,323.
“Our residents are definitely hurting and it’s something we need to take into consideration,” said McGee, when discussing the budget. “Maybe there are things we can cut to get us through the next few years. We could take advantage of the investments we’ve made and maintain, not expand. The whole idea of city investments is to not take money from taxpayers.”
Commissioner Barry Moss quickly ended that discussion by saying, “Any way we can cut expenses [should be looked at] but this is not the time to reinvent this conversation. Not at the last minute.”
Unlike the commission, residents in attendance seemed to agree.
“We’re just getting over Covid, and it was devastating,” said resident, Reverend John Mohorn. “To raise taxes at this time would be just as devastating as Covid. I think the timing is not right. People are still struggling. I pray that you consider that it’ll devastate the residents of Pompano Beach.”
