Plant City commissioners voted to adopt next fiscal year’s final operating budget Sept. 25, and it is set at $108,779,353. The commission also approved next fiscal year’s Capital Improvement Plan and approved a millage rate of 5.7157. This was the second of two public hearings on the budget.
The Fiscal Year 2023-24 balanced budget, which runs Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024, will tackle everything from essential city services and public safety to infrastructure improvements.
Major Capital Improvement projects on the horizon include a $4.3 million investment to resurface arterial roads, neighborhood streets and sidewalks, $500,000 towards the construction of a new Planteen Events Center and $4.89 million to repair lift stations, replace generator pumps, water storage tanks and meters and force mains to improve water quality.
The budget also includes a substantial investment in the city’s workforce. Full time, non-bargaining employees will receive a 13.5 percent salary adjustment on Oct. 1 which includes a 4.5 percent cost-of-living (COLA) increase and a nine percent market adjustment. In addition, non-step employees will see a minimum starting pay of $17.20 per hour. Police and fire employees also received pay increases. In comparison, Tampa’s city council, our neighbors to the west, approved a three percent pay increase last week for non-union employees.
“That’s a significant improvement and something I felt was very important,” said City Manager Bill McDaniel. “We hope by doing this our employees will be able to keep up with the rising costs that we’re all dealing with.”
The city’s job postings now reflect the new pay structure.
“It’s a tremendous investment in our personnel and you have to be competitive to retain the best people,” McDaniel. “We are wholly dependent on our people to deliver services to the community.”
The budget also calls for nine new employees at a cost of $586,100, bringing the city’s total workforce to 491. These positions include a senior planning technician, a refuse collector, three police officers, two community service officers, a parks ranger and a tennis facility coordinator.
“It’s good for the city to able to do this,” said City Manager Bill McDaniel. “A lot of this is the result of the economic development that has occurred that has put us in the position to do it.”
For more information about the approved budget visit plantcitygov.com. For more information about the millage rate visit hcpafl.org.
What’s a millage?
Plant City is one of 640 local governments in Florida that levy a property tax, that sets a millage, or tax, rate for the upcoming fiscal year.
What’s a Truth-in-Millage (TRIM) notice?
In August, the property appraiser sends each property owner a Notice of Proposed Property Taxes, or TRIM notice. This notice contains the property’s value on Jan. 1, the millage rates proposed by each local government, and an estimate of the amount of property taxes owed based on the proposed millage rates. TRIM notices don’t include the property’s estimated non-ad valorem taxes.
Can I appeal my property value?
Each county has a five-member value adjustment board, which hears and rules on challenges to a property’s assessment, classification and exemptions. While the board cannot change the millage, or property tax rates adopted by local governments, it can adjust property value.
When will I get property tax bill?
The tax collectors office mails annual property tax notices by the first of November. Full payment is due by the following March 31 but discounts of up to four percent are given for early payment. Payment plans are also available.