State Attorney, Sheriff Agree On Second Inventory By GARY PINNELL Highlands Today ...more

September 14, 2008

The School Board of Highlands County approved a slight increase in the ad valorum tax rate and approved its 2008-09 budget. ...more

September 12, 2008

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

September 10, 2008

With one council member voting "no" to the budget, the Sebring City Council approved the city's 2008-09 budget and property tax rate. ...more

September 7, 2008

With one council member voting "no" to the budget, the Sebring City Council approved the city's 2008-09 budget and property tax rate. ...more

September 5, 2008

The Highlands County School Board tentatively approved its 2008-09 budget with a small increase in the school tax rate. ...more

July 31, 2008

The Lake Placid Town Council voted unanimously at Monday's meeting to charge a maximum ad valorem millage rate of 4.1166 mils for $1,000 of assessed property valuation. ...more

July 18, 2008

In reference to an article in the April 30 Highlands Today, "Dr. Elton Gissindanner and his supporters convinced the Natural Resources Advisory Commission Wednesday to draft a bill that would create a tax of 0.2 mils, or $10 for a property valued at $100,000 after the $50,000 homestead exemptions are considered." I am opposed to this idea, in any form. I am opposed to paying any additional ad valorem taxes for land conservation projects. It is important that county commissioners deny land use changes that infringe on wetlands. Buying up land to create preserves is an idea that I will not support. Any additional taxes collected should be spent on public safety, and creating a slush fund for fuel price increases for county vehicles, that we may face during the next fiscal year. ...more

May 31, 2008

SEBRING — A Lake Placid veterinarian's push for a new ballot initiative, which would create a new property tax to build a land acquisition fund, may reach the county commissioners next month. Dr. Elton Gissindanner and his supporters convinced the Natural Resources Advisory Commission Wednesday to draft a bill that would create a tax of 0.2 mils, or $10 for a property valued at $100,000 after the $50,000 homestead exemptions are considered. If the county commissioners approve it, it could appear on the ballot in November. Gissindanner said that 29 Florida counties had a conservation fund of some sort. Polk County's program bought more than 12,000 acres so far. ...more

May 29, 2008

Is the county board taking the easy way out? We applaud the proposed lowering of the tax millage by a total 1.57 mils, which looks like it will fly tonight at the final budget hearing. But is this all a shell game? ...more

September 26, 2007