To the flag of the republic for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right, welcome everyone to the uh special meeting. We got a couple things
on the uh on the agenda. We also have uh Commissioner Husband who's who called in and we also have the administrator, Mr. Hammond who called in also. So we'll go ahead on and get straight to item A, Governor's announcement, homestead exemption. Uh Mr. Hammond, you got
anything you want to u say before we uh go to uh Constitution officer? >> I I'll be interested to hear what Mitch has to say. And I I probably got a reverberation, so I'm not going to talk much.
>> All right. All right, Mr. Burke, do you want to give us some great news? >> Um, I guess this has kind of been here briefly kind of thrown in front of us here real quick. So, I just I want to
give just some quick components of the um the Senate joint resolution. Um and then I'll kind of run over with you guys and I got a spreadsheet that kind of shows
potential impacts of uh our taxable value and our revenue. Um so anyway, let me get started with kind of the components. So um one of the components is the cap on
nonhomesteaded property. Uh it would reduce from 10 to 5% on nonhomesteaded properties except for school portion and that would uh so everything else would be effect except for the schools. So, the proposed
homestead exemption structure currently we're at $50,000. So, your value would have to be $75,000 or more to get the 50,000. So, the change beginning in January 1, homestead
exemption would increase to 150,000 and includes all millages and including schools, which is currently what's going on as we speak. So, beginning January 2028, the homestead exemption further
increases to 250,000. Okay. >> Excuse me, Mitch. You said on the 150k it's going to include schools now where it hasn't in the past. Is that >> No, no, it the homestead does include the schools. >> Okay. >> Non-homestead does not.
>> Gotcha. >> Same with 2028. It further goes to 250. So, it'll ratchet up to 250 in 2028. Uh, we're getting further into the weeds with this thing. So, beginning January 1, 2027,
any person meeting current homestead requirements but has not maintained residency prior to that date shall receive a 50,000 homestead exe exemption for five years before qualifying for the
larger exemption. Okay? So, there's a caveat in in that as well. So, if you didn't live in Florida as of January 1, 2027, there's a five-year waiting period to
receive the $250,000 exemption. So, keep that in mind. Um, and then we go to beginning January 1, 2028.
The $250,000 exemption shall be adjusted upward annually for inflation with the CPI. So that's what's happening now. You get the $50,000, whatever the CPI is, the max is 3%. So, it'll kick back in in
2028. There's also a caveat in there. It says beginning 2030, a local board, county, city, or school by twothird vote can remove the
five-year requirement if warranted for critical need. But note, in 1982, there was a Supreme Court decision which declared the 5-year waiting period unconstitutional. So, I don't even know if that would actually hold up
in in this resolution. I mean, because it's already been unconstitutional based on 1990 1982 Supreme Court decision. Um, there's also
language in there that contemplates future legislation that could eventually eliminate taxes on all remaining homesteaded property. So, that's kind of a brief and we know that could be subject to
change once they get, you know, out of this session. Um, we're trying to stay on top of this. Um, let me give you these.
>> Anybody else need one? So basically what we did here was based on the 150,000 and the 250 exemption, we kind of ran the numbers on where we currently stand on taxable value.
And I know it's kind of quick and dirty, but we put it in the system and we went by each taxing district and kind of shows you, you know, what the results are. Um,
I don't know which if you want to go over them, we can go over them or if you got questions on these, we can I just I can go for example. >> Hold on one second. Mr. Mr. B, Mr. Terry, you got something you want to add, >> Mitch? U I know that the governor
previously said that they were also going to establish a trust for non-homestead properties that each municipality could if there was a budget deficit, they could apply to the state for >> Is that in the resolution as well? >> I think that's in the resolution as
well. >> Okay. So, your numbers don't take into account how much the state would take for that trust either. Is that correct? >> No, sir. That's correct. Is there an indication of >> uh what that percentage might be? >> I do not know at this time. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Okay,
>> follow up with that. You're talking about a trust fund. Where's that? Is that sales tax dollars that they're going to put into the trust fund? I'm assuming because that's the only source because if you're cutting this, it has to be sales tax. Correct. >> It's got to come. >> It's got to come from somewhere. It's a trust fund. A trust fund is a trust
fund. So if you're saying it's going to be physically constrained counties or is it going to be the larger counties or the counties that like in the Liberties and the Calhouns who don't have very or mostly homestead properties is that they're going to be the ones is a competitive process. There's so many irons on that trust fund thing that it
would I don't see that I I'll cut >> too. How would you know I don't know how you would receive those funds. You'd have to request them or apply for them. I don't know how that would work, but there's a lot of moving parts in this resolution.
Um, but just kind of a quick we we threw these in the system and uh I'll just give the county overall. Um where we currently stand today
uh if you look on the tax revenue portion down the bottom left hand column it says B bocc operating um with the numbers that we have roughly 24.1 million and that's with the current
millage rates. So, if we put in the 150,000 exemption, which is in your next two columns to your right, uh it reduces that revenue to 22.6, which is a reduction of 1.4 million.
If you go to the 250 further to your left in the blue column, it brings down your revenue to 21.8 million or 2.29 29 million. I mean 2.2
revenue loss. Um and there's some too I mean you can look at the city of Weiwall. Um they're they're getting hit very hard with this.
um they go from 695 to to 560 which is they're reducing their revenues just on the 150,000 exemption roughly by $134,000. So I just I don't know how they would operate that way.
Um anyway, it kind of on a short fuse. This is what what we put together and we're staying on top of it the best we can. Um, >> Mitch, what about that? Tell me again
that 250. What was that number? >> Uh, on the 250 it reduces the tax revenue by 2.29 million. >> Okay. On the 150 again >> 1.4 Okay.
And just keep in mind this doesn't begin till January 1 of 2027. >> And I would think the $50,000 fiveyear waiting period is not going to hold up. People would would fight that
having to wait five years with it's already been deemed unconstitutional. So, so those that you would think would be 50, they're they're probably going to get the 150. So, just a lot going on right now in this in
this resolution. >> Any any questions, commissioners? We appreciate it, Mr. Burke. Appreciate the information. >> Mitch, you've done a great job. Y'all, your staff has done a great job with these numbers. I think it's great getting ahead of it. Have we ever thought about as this thing goes forward
that we put it on a website? Have you got it on a website somewhere or I mean I I know your your your people throughout the state y'all work and you're the president so y'all work well on this. I I think I don't know that we can I would have to look into that to see
because I don't know being in a political office we can you know we can educate but I do know in here it shows that when we turn the take
out and mail out the trims that this in here they want an insert in there explaining some of this too. So, it's it's going to educate the public on this
particular resolution and that's even prior to it even being voted on. >> I I guess that was commissioners, that's something I think we probably need to look at. Not that we take a side, but that we educ that's that's what we're here for is to educate uh our
constituents on number one what's as it moves forward what it means for this county. I would think the cities would obviously do it as well and then by department and the constitutional officers how it affects what you do. I think it's good to let them know that if this goes this is probably what we'll
look you know I mean other counties have already done this. I know WCA did it months ago. I think they were a little premature, but they did it ahead of time and said, "Hey, this these are the things on the board that you're probably going to lose because here's the line that draws there." And so, the more that we can educate our people
>> without taking I'm not saying take any type of political stand whether it's good or bad, whatever, >> right? >> But letting them know this is what's being proposed. This is what it looks like in your county. >> I think that's just would be good government for us to do that. I don't and and get it out there so anybody has
access to it where they can see it that lives here. >> Commissioner, if I can, Mr. Chairman, um Mitch and I were talking about it last night and I understand the political complications for him and his office, but like I said, it's been introduced in this meeting today. So, in essence, it's a public record because it's something that you're all looking at for him to be
able to disperse it versus maybe us as the county putting a link on our site, making it available to people through public record requests. So it is available to the people so they can tap into it without making a request to the clerk's office every individual time and also you know calling Mitch's office to ask for a copy of it. You've all
received it. This is public record. It's been introduced to you all. So ideally maybe we can put a link on our site, our county site and then not have him dragged into that. I know that's a concern amongst his colleagues. >> I got >> but certainly make it available for
public information. >> Yeah. like like uh Commissioner Prison said, we just just want to get the information out and say, "Hey, if this was to happen, this is what's going to happen. If it does not happen, then we still where we at now." So, I mean, it's not like I said, not picking any side, but just want to just get the information out so the public can know
that this may happen and it may not happen. So, I agree that we probably need to get it out till they can see it for themselves. Anything else, Commissioner? >> You on the line? Yes, sir. >> Hey, uh I called you by the Humane
Society while we in here. Uh you want >> Yeah. I I would suggest that it's y'all's policy that we pay them through May and then they get them get us their financials, you know, next month or
whenever that I know they're working on them. >> Okay. Okay. But but it'll take a board action since it's your policy. >> Okay. >> And I'm fine. I think they got all they got all the paperwork in right.
>> Yeah, they are working on it. >> Okay. Okay. I'm fine if they got it to him, you know. >> All right. So we what we need a motion to >> make a motion. >> So I got a motion by Commissioner Mcronone to go ahead on move
>> go ahead on Okay. move forward with paying the Humane Society. I got a motion. >> I'll second. >> Second by Commissioner Mackmore. Any further board discussion? Anyone in the public? Any opposition?
All right. Motion pass five and0. >> Mr. Chairman, one more thing. I think we need to be prepared to go to Tallahassee next week. Maybe Monday or Tuesday. >> It's possible. >> Possible. >> Yeah.
>> I could go Tuesday. I can't Monday. >> As soon as they get those hearing said, I'll I'll let y'all know. >> All right. Appreciate it. All right. Any uh constitution officer want to add anything, say anything before we get out? Sure. >> Just question real quick pertaining to
uh budget request. >> Are we still on track for June 1 or we want to extend that until we get some clarification on this? >> That is the statutory deadline. Everyone is due June 1. Once we have new information, we can have follow-up discussions, but no budget request are
still due June one. >> Okay. Thanks, Sheriff. uh sheriff's department, the sheriff statewide sheriff Harrison, they're kind of not for this, are they? Because I know they said they'd leave you alone, but that doesn't mean going forward
you're guaranteed anything, right? Is that what it is? >> The individual sheriff will be uh >> having their their own opinion on it. So, collectively, we're not taking a stance as an association on it most likely. So, is that right? Um but uh uh
yeah I can imagine you know when you you deal with critical services and talking about you know just for here you know a 6% um cut just with a 150 I believe so uh it'll have a huge impact no doubt so uh um but uh I I think it's real early
based on the information that we got yesterday um it's real early there'll be a lot of discussion going forward the plan was laid out there of what's going to happen but there's no plan it seems like like we talked about the trust fund, there's no plan of how to
subsidize counties. And you know what? When I come and I ask for a budget, I want to be talking to you and I want to be held accountable by the people of Gulf County. Um, not to the state of Florida as a whole. And uh, so I'd love to keep it like it is right now, but
that's that's that's me speaking and uh, uh, we'll move it forward. So uh, but uh, yeah, it'll have huge impact. No doubt. If if I won't I won't belabor the issue but and not trying to take it not with the sheriff side but so last year when we had grass department grass went
crazy remember y last year and we were able to go out and have we called all hands on deck calvary came and did what we did so we're going to be asking the trust fund to do that next year I mean the point of contact on decision- making with dollars is the best way the closer to the problem the better the decisions
are made that's throughout history throughout government throughout everything so I appreciate you say on that, sheriff, because you know it's not it's it's taxpayer dollars and so how do you want them to call Tallahassee to have them tell you how to spend if you can spend your dollars or do you want to
call one of us and I think that's where it really we have to do a good job of educating that these things these 10 things that we have that you have been calling us on you'll be calling them so that's that was a point I had going forward I think if we educate they see that
All right. Anyone else? We're good. All right. Everybody good? >> All right. Thank everybody for coming to the meeting. I entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> Motion by Commissioner Malmore, second by Commissioner Mcronone. Any
opposition?