CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.

Senate Bill 0560

Florida Senate - 1998 SB 560 By Senator Bronson 18-676-98 See HB 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to determination of millage; 3 amending s. 200.065, F.S.; authorizing taxing 4 authorities to adopt the tax levies and budgets 5 of their dependent special taxing districts by 6 single votes, unless a member of the public 7 requests a separate discussion and vote for the 8 tax levy or budget of any such district; 9 providing an effective date. 10 11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 12 13 Section 1. Paragraph (e) of subsection (2) of section 14 200.065, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 15 200.065 Method of fixing millage.-- 16 (2) No millage shall be levied until a resolution or 17 ordinance has been approved by the governing board of the 18 taxing authority which resolution or ordinance must be 19 approved by the taxing authority according to the following 20 procedure: 21 (e)1. In the hearings required pursuant to paragraphs 22 (c) and (d), the first substantive issue discussed shall be 23 the percentage increase in millage over the rolled-back rate 24 necessary to fund the budget, if any, and the specific 25 purposes for which ad valorem tax revenues are being 26 increased. During such discussion, the governing body shall 27 hear comments regarding the proposed increase and explain the 28 reasons for the proposed increase over the rolled-back rate. 29 The general public shall be allowed to speak and to ask 30 questions prior to adoption of any measures by the governing 31 1 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida Senate - 1998 SB 560 18-676-98 See HB 1 body. The governing body shall adopt its tentative or final 2 millage rate prior to adopting its tentative or final budget. 3 2. These hearings shall be held after 5 p.m. if 4 scheduled on a day other than Saturday. No hearing shall be 5 held on a Sunday. The county commission shall not schedule 6 its hearings on days scheduled for hearings by the school 7 board. The hearing dates scheduled by the county commission 8 and school board shall not be utilized by any other taxing 9 authority within the county for its public hearings. A 10 multicounty taxing authority shall make every reasonable 11 effort to avoid scheduling hearings on days utilized by the 12 counties or school districts within its jurisdiction. Tax 13 levies and budgets for dependent special taxing districts each 14 shall be separately discussed and separately adopted at the 15 hearings for the taxing authority to which such districts are 16 dependent, following such discussion and adoption of levies 17 and budgets for the superior taxing authority. A taxing 18 authority may adopt the tax levies for all of its dependent 19 special taxing districts, and may adopt the budgets for all of 20 its dependent special taxing districts, by a single unanimous 21 vote. However, if a member of the general public requests that 22 the tax levy or budget of a dependent special taxing district 23 be separately discussed and separately adopted, the taxing 24 authority shall discuss and adopt that tax levy or budget 25 separately. If, due to circumstances beyond the control of the 26 taxing authority, the hearing provided for in paragraph (d) is 27 recessed, the taxing authority shall publish a notice in a 28 newspaper of general paid circulation in the county. The 29 notice shall state the time and place for the continuation of 30 the hearing and shall be published at least 2 days but not 31 2 CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Florida Senate - 1998 SB 560 18-676-98 See HB 1 more than 5 days prior to the date the hearing will be 2 continued. 3 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a 4 law. 5 6 ***************************************** 7 HOUSE SUMMARY 8 Authorizes taxing authorities to adopt the tax levies and 9 budgets of their dependent special taxing districts by single votes, unless a member of the public requests a 10 separate discussion and vote for the tax levy or budget of any such district. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 3