Manatee sets millage rate

Manatee County commissioners today voted 5-1 to maintain the county’s longstanding millage rate, as proposed by County Administrator Ed Hunzeker.

The decision caps the countywide millage rate at 7.0435, including the .6109 mills for unincorporated Manatee.

Hunzeker’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2015/2016 does not allocate funding for the addition of 12 deputies for the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office or other requests that would be paid for by property taxes, including more park security and a paramedic in Myakka.

“There’s a lot of good things in this budget,” Chairwoman Betsy Benac said. “It doesn’t have everything everyone wants. We need to set a process going forward, because we know we have significant issues that need to be resolved.”

The vote followed a motion by Commissioner Robin DiSabatino to raise the millage by .0742 mills, which would have translated into an $11.12 increase annually for a $150,000 home. The motion failed 3-3.

Manatee County commissioners will continue to work on the budget through September, at which time they will adopt the new fiscal year budget.