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Taxpayer Group To Commissioners

“No Tax and No Toll”

Hwy 331 Bridge Project

AN INVESTMENT DECISION
February 13, 2012
 

The Walton County Taxpayers Association (WCTA) Board of Directors would like to be on the record that WCTA supports economic development, safe roads and better infrastructure for Walton County. In fact WCTA supports investing in growing Walton County in a SMART, COMPETITIVE and THOROUGHLY INFORMED way. Investments with taxpayer money should be done with a supreme sense of fiduciary responsibility.

The WCTA board believes there should be NO TOLL, NO TAX until the county can provide detailed, fact-based analyses of the best way to invest in Walton County: which investments will give Walton County the most return for economic development, public safety and competitiveness.

The WCTA board takes seriously its responsibility to know how taxpayer money is spent, to hold public officials accountable and to ensure transparency in public transactions. Adopting new debt and placing new financial burdens on taxpayers – especially at this time and with this economy -- requires an extra measure of careful, prudent decision making. An investment of the magnitude proposed for local contribution to a new 331 bridge must be based on real strategic analyses.

Hwy 331 Bridge questions require answers:
 

1. Has the County determined all the opportunity costs associated with the 331 Bridge Project?

2. Lost revenue from having the highest sales tax in the 3- county area?

3. Sales of big-ticket items that will migrate to adjacent counties?

4. Lost tourism from having the highest bed tax in the gulf coast counties?

5. The impact of tripling Walton County’s existing debt load?

6. A risk/cost analysis of delaying the project?

Is the State firmly committed to widening the bridge AND building a 4 lane Hwy 331 to I-10, and to the AL state line? What are the timelines for completion of the various segments? What analysis has been done on traffic loads and by whom? Who owns the north and south rights of way for the bridge? Have the proper environmental studies been completed?

Answers to all questions will help determine THE SMART INVESTMENT choice for Walton County.

Until this information is forthcoming, WCTA votes

“NO TAX, 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.

MAKE A DONATION
 

The WCTA is a IRS 501 c 4 Organization

GROUP WCTA MEMBERS

Edgewater Condominiums

Grand Dunes 1 Condominiums

Grand Dunes 2 Condominiums

Rosemary Beach HOA

Sandestin - St Andrews HOA

Sandestin - Raven Oaks HOA

Surfside HOA

Turtle Beach Condominiums