Letters to the Editor

Posted on 23 June 2011 by LeslieM

RE: Utility tax

Dear Editor:

On Tuesday, June 7, Deerfield Beach city commission passed an ordinance to implement a municipal public service tax on utility services such as electric, water, gas and fuel oil/kerosene, which will go into effect October 1, 2011.  Implementation of a public service tax is an example of doing the right thing, even though it may not be popular. I’d like to take this opportunity to address the issue.

Prior to the city commission’s approval of the public service tax, we were one of only four municipalities in Broward County that had no public service tax. The other three cities have populations of 2,500 and less — our population is 75,000, with  the financial demands to match. As I look around the county, I
see other cities that have weathered the economic crisis far better than Deerfield Beach because their revenue is diversified, and not solely reliant upon property taxes. Nearly 46 percent of the city’s revenue is derived from property taxes, placing the brunt of the tax burden on property owners. In general, cities that have a public service tax have proportionally lower millage rates, as the tax stabilizes the city’s revenue stream.

The city commission has gone on record to say that implementation of this tax must come with a corresponding decrease to the millage rate, and we stand by that statement. In fact, the City Manager has targeted a decrease of 1.5 mills as the goal for this year’s budget.

The public service tax will also be used to fund a revenue bond to provide for important capital projects, such as improving the city’s roads and parks system. Our infrastructure is the key to our economic future, as these are the elements that attract high caliber businesses, as well as young families and professionals. All of the above are critical for our city to survive and flourish.

For the average resident, the public service tax is equal to less than $10 a month, but the benefits that this income stream will bring to our city are immeasurable. If you love this city as I do, I urge you to think not only about the services that you and your family rely upon and enjoy, but also about the future of Deerfield Beach for generations to come. By making the difficult decision to implement a public service tax now, my fellow commissioners and I are planning for the future of Deerfield Beach.

Mayor Peggy Noland

Deerfield Beach

 

Giving benefit of doubt on kayak, goes awry

Dear Editor:

On Saturday morning, my husband, Phil Lane, woke up, went to our dock and realized his fishing kayak was missing.

We have lived here for almost three years and have always left our kayak and equipment unsecured. On that morning his kayak, personal floatation device and paddle were missing.  We called BSO, they made a report, and in mid-afternoon my husband went looking for his kayak in my son’s kayak.

He rode around for approximately two hours and when he was almost home, about a block away, he noticed some kids loading up their kayak. When he looked at the yard, there was his kayak. Long story short, he got his kayak back.

The kid’s story was that his friends “found it” floating three days ago. But by the time my husband spoke to him, he admitted his friends may have stolen it.  His mother spoke to my husband and cried and told him it was his friends. My husband made the mistake of letting them go. We later called the sheriff to tell them the story and they advised us against dropping the charges, but we did.

Well, last night, my dog woke up barking and I jumped up out of bed. This time we have the kayaks next to our bedroom window and I saw a kid jumping over the fence.  The police were called and BSO tracked down the person responsible.

We have been Deerfield Beach residents for a long time. We have twin boys, age 15, who are law-abiding citizens and we tried to give these juveniles the benefit of the doubt. I want to make sure all The Cove residents are on alert. Unfortunately, they need to safeguard their property. Many in the area have had items removed from cars, bikes stolen, etc. [See video on web].

Michelle Alban Lane

Deerfield Beach

 

Park going to the dogs

Dear Editor:

Around the corner from where I live, there’s a pretty little park where I take my grandsons. Not anymore! Unfortunately, many dog owners seem to have the same idea to visit this pretty little park. But that’s where the similarities end. These “people,” and I use the term loosely, allow their pooches to defecate everywhere without picking up the precious bundle left behind. The park has plastic bags and trash receptacles so there is no excuse. What is the problem here people, laziness? Tell me, if your pet has an accident in your home, do you just leave it? Come on folks, the parks are for everyone, let’s not use it as a toilet for your animals. This lady is tired of doing the new dance called “The Feces Side-Step.”

Lorraine Barsher

Deerfield Beach

 

TRASH

Dear Editor:

We are all lucky enough to live in the beautiful town of Deerfield Beach, so why do people insist on throwing their trash all over? The new Cove Parking Lots project is very nice, but there’s not a trash can in the lot, although the future plans must include them. The local restaurants and bars are not doing their part in picking up after their patrons. The American Rock bar and New Two Georges partrons leave bottles and cans everywhere. Both sides of the bridge crossing the Intercoastal are filthy with trash. Why don’t we all pull together and try to do a better job of keeping Deerfield Beach a cleaner place to live?

J. Huffman

Deerfield Beach

 

Editor’s Note: Trash receptacles were removed from The Cove to install new paver sidewalks. New receptacles are ordered and will be installed upon completion of the sidewalks, according to CRA Coordinator Kris Mory.

 

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