West Manatee Fire Rescue

MANATEE - After striking out with voters, leaders of the West Manatee Fire District will try to increase their taxing power through the Florida Legislature.

District leaders are asking Manatee County members of the legislature to introduce one bill that would double the cap on fire assessments levied each year on property based primarily on building size. They also want approval of another bill that would raise caps on impact fees imposed on new construction by as much as five-fold increases.

Both pieces of proposed legislation are slated to be discussed Monday when the seven-member Manatee County legislative delegation hosts its annual meeting to hear requests for state money and legislation from county residents and local organizations. The meeting is scheduled 2-5 p.m. in the first-floor chambers of Manatee County Government Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W.

"It's the only method left for us to receive additional funding," West Manatee Fire Chief Andy Price said Thursday of seeking approvals from the Legislature. "We still need an increase just to do business."

Price and the district's fire commissioners are turning to legislators because West Manatee voters three times this year rejected creation of a property tax based on property value. Voters on Tuesday turned down a maximum 50 cents tax per $1,000 taxable value.

State Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, said he is looking forward to hearing from Price and 30 other citizens and organizations listed on the meeting agenda. Anyone else wishing to speak may register at the meeting. Bennett said most speakers will be limited to a three-minute presentation.

"This is for the public to issue their concerns to us, not for us to issue ours," Bennett said. "We're strictly there to listen. I think it gives us some direction of what the community really wants."

Bennett said the annual meeting gives all seven legislators representing part of Manatee County the chance to hear the same thing at the same time. The other legislators are state Sens. Lisa Carlton, R-Osprey, and Les Miller Jr., D-Tampa, and state Reps. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton, Frank Peterman Jr., D-St. Petersburg, and Donna Clarke, R-Sarasota.

Thirteen public agencies or community organizations are slated to ask legislators for money in the 2005-06 state budget, including up to $2.9 million for remodeling a graphic technology/arts building at Manatee Community College, $2.5 million for Crosley campus enhancements at University of South Florida at Sarasota/Manatee, $500,000 for Manatee County Rural Health Services Inc. to build a health clinic in Parrish and $500,000 to help The Manatee Players Inc. build a theater.

There are 15 people or groups signed up to push their legislative agendas, including Gulf Coast Marine Institute Inc., the Roman Catholic Diocese of Venice, environmental groups such as Sierra Club and Manatee County Audubon Society, the League of Women Voters of Manatee County and the Federation of Manatee County Community Associations.

And there are three agenda items dealing with local legislation, including the West Manatee Fire District bills.

The West Manatee assessment proposal would raise the cap on the base assessment for single-family homes, condominiums, duplexes and multifamily buildings from $125 to a new level of $250 for the first 1,000 square feet. The assessment cap would increase from 7.5 cents per square foot now to a new level of 15 cents per square foot for all square feet in excess of 1,000 square feet.

For commercial and industrial buildings, the cap on the base assessment would climb from $300 now to a new level of $600 for the first 1,000 square feet. The cap would increase from 12.5 cents per square foot now to a new level of 25 cents per square foot for all square feet in excess of 1,000 square feet.

Price said that if the Legislature approves the assessment cap increases and Gov. Jeb Bush does not veto them, fire commissioners would raise annual assessments over several years, not all at once. The biggest jump likely would come in the first year so the district would receive more than a $1 million increase in income in order to hire and equip 12 more firefighters to meet fire-fighting standards, he said.

"We are probably looking at a 30-35 percent increase the first year and then probably like an 8 percent increase annually after the first year," he said.

The impact fee legislation would increase West Manatee's maximum one-time charge on construction of a residence from the current $100 to a new level of $500. The non-residential maximum fee would increase from the current level of $200 for up to 5,000 square feet and $200 plus a nickel per square foot over 5,000 square feet to a new level of $980 for up to 5,000 square feet and $980 plus 25 cents per square foot over 5,000 square feet.

"We haven't raised the impact fees since we enacted them back in the '80s," Price said.

• What: Manatee County legislative delegation's annual meeting

• When: 2-5 p.m. Monday

• Where: First-floor chambers, Manatee County Government Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W.

• Other: Open to the public