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Highlands Today

AP Approves Tentative Budget

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: September 10, 2008

AVON PARK - The city council approved the tentative city budget and property tax rate on Monday for the 2007-08 fiscal year.

The tentative property tax rate of 6.3017 mils is unchanged from last year.

With a gross taxable value for operating purposes of $254,201,366, the 6.3017 mil tax rate will yield $1,601,901 in property taxes for the city.

The total tentative budget for 2008-09 is $15,216,899.

The total amended budget for 2007-08 was $21,248,748.

The fiscal year begins on Oct. 1 and ends on Sept. 30.

In her update on budget issues, City Manager Sarah Adelt said Monday the city will keep a fire inspector position unfilled. Also, the police department will fill only two of its four vacancies.

"We are working on additional ways to trim our budget throughout the year," she said. Part of that is cost recovery on accidents the police department responds to involving non-residents. The insurance companies would be billed for the costs.

The parks department will seek assistance from the users of the city's ball fields to help with the upkeep of the city recreation facilities, Adelt said.

"We've began to negotiate for airport management with an outside firm and we would like to negotiate updated leases with all the tenants of our city buildings," she said.

Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com

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