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Taxpayer Group To Commissioners

“No Tax and No Toll”

Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, 1/24/2012 - The Walton County Taxpayers Board of Directors has carefully considered the funding proposal for the 331 Bridge Project that is being submitted to the County Commissioners. The WCTA cannot support either option- raising the sales tax or implementing a toll on the bridge.

The case has not been adequately made that the proposed burden to be placed on local taxpayers is offset by the value gained by the bridge, especially since our neighbors in Bay County have recently had a new state highway bridge fully funded by the State of Florida with no such request of those neighbors.

However,WCTA wholeheartedly supports the County Commissioners working at the State level on behalf of the local taxpayer. WCTA supports exhaustive efforts being made to ensure that the State is investing FULLY in the needs of Walton County.

WCTA represents 2789 property owners in Walton County and WCTA will actively educate its members and the voters of Walton County on this issue.

To reiterate, as it relates to The Bridge proposal, the WCTA position is clear "No Tax and No Toll".

WCTA asks the county commission to

live up to its committment

For six years, The Walton County Taxpayers Association has asked the county for an equitable and fair fire/rescue policy for all county citizens. Everyone should pay for the services they receive, and the county should provide the best service possible.

In October 2011, WCTA asked the Board of County Commissioners to postpone a vote to increase supplemental funding for Freeport fire department until an equitable fire/rescue plan could be developed for the entire county. Mr. Greg Kisela, Walton County administrator, committed to work with WCTA to attempt to resolve the various fire/rescue service and funding issues. County commissioners approved Freeport funding. The county has not involved WCTA in developing an overall county plan or to address funding issues.

Now the county commission is asked to increase funding for the independent fire departments of Argyle and Liberty. Vast inconsistencies remain in the levels of funding and services for fire districts north of the Choctawhatchee Bay. Taxpayers south of the Bay continue to pay for the South Walton Fire District $11 million budget, and they pay 77% of the $7.732 million budget for North Walton Fire District for which they receive no fire/rescue services. This is inequitable and burdensome taxation.

Six years ago, the county commission adopted a resolution for funding North Walton fire/rescue. That resolution has not been implemented. WCTA asks the county commission to live up to its obligation and commitment to develop and implement a fire/rescue plan for north Walton that is fair and equitable to all county citizens.

Who Pays For Walton County Government?

We wondered exactly who pays for the cost of government services in Walton County so we contacted the Florida Department of Revenue to get information on exactly which types of property in Walton County funded our county government as a percentage of the total ad valorem taxes collected.

See the chart below to see the distributions by property type for the 2010-2011 tax year. The data provided shows that 61.3% of ad valorem taxes collected come from residential non-homesteaded property owners.