West Manatee Fire Rescue

West Manatee Fire hears 'no' again

NICK MASON
Herald Staff Writer
 

MANATEE - Leaders of the West Manatee Fire District struck out Monday with Florida legislators in getting any help increasing their taxing power, just as they did with voters three times this year.

Legislators from Manatee County openly rejected the fire district's request for legislation that would double the cap on fire assessments levied on property, and Sen. Mike Bennett said fresh talks about more fire district mergers and eventual countywide consolidation of fire service is warranted.

Bennett, R-Bradenton, told West Manatee Fire Chief Andy Price during the Manatee County Legislative Delegation annual meeting that no legislator "wants to take forward a bill that the voters have turned down three times" despite Price's plea for help raising more money to comply with state-ordered fire fighting standards.

Price and the district's fire commissioners turned to legislators because district voters three times refused to give permission for the district to impose a property tax. Last week, voters turned down a maximum property tax of 50 cents per $1,000 taxable value, commonly called a half mill.

"I really am concerned this happened to you all," Bennett told Price. "Who's next?"

Bennett then raised the concept of more mergers and eventual countywide consolidation, saying he wants to meet with fire chiefs across Manatee County in January to discuss those prospects.

"So we're going to have to look at alternatives that may not please you all," Bennett said.

None of the other legislators representing part of Manatee County spoke up during the three-hour meeting, but Sen. Les Miller Jr., D-Tampa, and state Rep. Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton, later agreed with Bennett that they would not support a local bill expanding taxing power of the West Manatee Fire District after voters repeatedly rejected a property tax.

"I find it very difficult to force legislation on a community when they said 'no' three times," Reagan said.

Miller put it this way: "I'm not going to stick my neck out."

That amounts to burying West Manatee's request because the legislative delegation has a practice of not allowing any local bill to be approved if any legislator from the seven-member delegation opposes it. Bennett is the new delegation chairman, succeeding state Rep. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton.

Outside the meeting room, Price said West Manatee fire commissioners are willing to explore mergers and consolidation with Bennett and other legislators.

"Our board has always been open to that," Price said. "I think it's an issue we have to look at."

But Price said legislators need to help pay for meeting state fire fighting standards because the West Manatee district is braced to reach its current assessment cap next year and has no other means of raising money.

"Even if the legislature doesn't move it forward, we have to address it in one shape, form or another," Price said. "The state is going to have to help us find funding on this. We're in a tough situation. It's very bleak for us."

Perhaps the warmest reception of the day from legislators was for Mickey Presha and Frank Brunner of Manatee County Rural Health Services Inc., which wants a $500,000 state subsidy next year to help pay for building a health clinic in Parrish.

"We'll go get your money for you," Bennett told them during the meeting in the first-floor chambers of Manatee County Government Administrative Center.

Reagan said after the meeting that he agrees with Bennett in finding construction money for a Parrish clinic in the state budget next year because Manatee County Rural Health Services is the primary caregiver in a fast-growing part of the county.

"We are going to have winners and losers this year because there isn't enough money for everyone," Reagan said. "The Parrish health center is one I fully support."