Chris Gollon
It’s budget season for the New Smyrna Beach City Commission. With that, the Commission is set to make several key decisions about the budget for the next fiscal year, including deciding their maximum property tax rate. That’ll be up for consideration at the Tuesday City Commission meeting, as will a slate of 42 unfunded budget requests from different city departments.
These requests range from the relatively inexpensive – just $17,000 for a utility cart – to the ambitious, such as a $2.7 million street light investment. The City Commissioners will be tasked with prioritizing the financial needs of the city, and how much they’ll ask residents to subsidize these initiatives with their property taxes.
With budget season underway, City Commissioners will have to decide what makes different items a priority to them. “I look at the community, what’s best for the entire community,” said Zone 2 Commissioner Lisa Martin. “That’s my number one priority, what’s best for the safety and quality of life of the community as a whole.”
As for property taxes, residential properties make up the vast majority of taxable value within New Smyrna Beach. According to the Volusia County Property Appraiser, 83.59% of the city’s taxable property value is residential, compared to 10.01% commercial, 3.00% vacant, and less than one percent each for agricultural, institutional, industrial, and miscellaneous.
The city’s finance department is recommending a slight increase in property taxes, from the FY 2023/24 rate of 4.7040 to a FY 2024/25 rate of 4.7284. It would represent an increase of 0.52%, which combined with appreciating property values could lead to residents paying more on their property tax bill. “Doing this is a big hit,” Martin continued, “but I also have to be aware of the welfare of those people. How do you balance adding more money for police versus hitting somebody’s ability to pay a mortgage? You choose.”
The unfunded requests being considered are as follows, sorted by department. All costs are estimated.
Maintenance Operations
- GIS Analyst Position – $77,935
- Three Foreman Positions – $215,103
- Bathroom Doors Clancy, & Esther – $35,000
- Streetlights on Canal & Atlantic – $2,700,000
- Three F-150 Trucks or similar – $141,000
- Roof Replacement Plan – $100,000
- Two Zero Turn Mowers – $30,000
- Stake Bed Truck – $86,000
- Two Cargo Trailers – $36,000
- Jackhammer Attachment – $60,000
Leisure Services
- 4-Passenger Utility Cart – $17,000
- Ford Maverick or similar – $42,000
- Sport Complex Playground – $325,000
- Detwiler Park Pavilion – $80,000
- ABI Force Sand Rake – $48,000
- Kubota Utility Cart – $17,000
- 30″ Scissor Lift – $28,000
- Add Batting Cages – $20,000
- Special Projects/Marketing Position – $76,504
- Admin Specialist I – $57,784
Golf Course
- Two Tee Mowers – $134,000
- Greens Roller – $29,000
- 1-Ton Truck with Dump Bed – $85,000
Police Department
- Four Corporal Officers – $410,676
- Four Patrol Vehicles – $288,000
- Five Unmarked Vehicles – $260,000
- Two Motorcycles – $100,000
- License Plate Reader – $150,000
Fire Department
- Generator at Fire Station #53 – $250,000
- Training Materials – $25,000
Business & Economic Development
- Admin Assistant – $68,790
Position Request Increases
Police Department
- Deputy Chief – $130,023 to $136,335
- Captain – $102,684 to $117,426
- Captain – $106,751 to $117,426
Business & Economic Development
- Director – $102,132 to $124,007
City Manager
- Reclass Capital Improvement Projects & Grants to Project Manager & Grants – $54,163 to $62,700
Finance
- Assistant Finance Director – $92,700 to $100,255
- Purchasing Agent – $67,309 to $72,795
Human Resources
- Director – $116,699 to $130,056
Leisure Services
- Director – $106,090 to $122,493
Maintenance Operations
- Director – $112,981 to $128,469
- Main Ops Coordinator – $49,853 to $53,917