St. Mary’s County Commissioner Larry Jarboe has unveiled a budget plan in advance of the commissioners beginning budget deliberations next week. Jarboe is proposing to use the $1.9 million public hearing reserve to provide School Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano with the $1.3 million he says he needs to save teacher jobs and the use the remaining $600,000 to lower property taxes.
Jarboe is also proposing a “Tax Incentive Finance District” for properties abutting the proposed FDR Boulevard to jump start construction of that languishing project.
The following is a complete text of Jarboe’s statement released at the commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday afternoon:
“The following motions will be made at our budget session next Monday as a solution to the goals of meeting the staffing needs of the Board of Education as well as accomplishing the desire shown by several of the members of this Board of Commissioners to build FDR Blvd. in Lexington Park. This will also help us show obvious and documentable tax relief for St. Mary’s County property owners
“I am providing these proposals in advance of the meeting next week to allow ample opportunity for those in the community who feel very strongly about the Board’s funding of the school system budget requests; and to allow this Board to deliberate and consider these proposals in advance of making a decision.
“1) I will propose that the Board of Commissioners allocate the public hearing reserve of $1.9 million in the FY 2012 budget in the following manner:
“a) Direct $1.3 million to the Board of Education for providing funding for the staffers who have been put on notice that their positions will not be funded and to keep these valuable teachers assisting the achievement of excellence sought by our dedicated St. Mary’s educators.
“b) Direct $600,000 in tax relief by lowering the property tax rate.
“2) I will propose that the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners task the County Attorney, the County Finance Director and the County Director of Public Works to formulate a Tax Incentive Finance District for properties adjoining the proposed FDR Blvd. and report back to this Board no later than July 1, 2011 with a completed proposal. The report shall include the following goals:
“ a) Gain the approval of at least 60 percent of the property owners affected by the FDR Blvd. project to participate in paying for all costs of the construction of the proposed road.
“b) To give significant tax relief to all those properties abutting the FDR Blvd. and freeze that level of tax to coincide with the payment of any bond or loan program that they are able to arrange for the construction of the road with the amount of tax incentive to be studied by the FDR. Blvd. Task Group.
“c) The purpose of this Tax Increment Financing District is to make public improvements which will generate private-sector development.
“d) Taxes will continue to be paid in the TIF District but taxes above the frozen tax level that are generated by the increased assessed value instead of being paid to the county general fund, will go into a special fund created by the county to retire bonds issued to originate the construction of FDR Blvd.
“e) The cost of building FDR Blvd. would fall chiefly on the property owners who would benefit by its construction and reli
“I am providing these proposals in advance of the meeting next week to allow ample opportunity for those in the community who feel very strongly about the Board’s funding of the school system budget requests; and to allow this Board to deliberate and consider these proposals in advance of making a decision.
“1) I will propose that the Board of Commissioners allocate the public hearing reserve of $1.9 million in the FY 2012 budget in the following manner:
“a) Direct $1.3 million to the Board of Education for providing funding for the staffers who have been put on notice that their positions will not be funded and to keep these valuable teachers assisting the achievement of excellence sought by our dedicated St. Mary’s educators.
“b) Direct $600,000 in tax relief by lowering the property tax rate.
“2) I will propose that the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners task the County Attorney, the County Finance Director and the County Director of Public Works to formulate a Tax Incentive Finance District for properties adjoining the proposed FDR Blvd. and report back to this Board no later than July 1, 2011 with a completed proposal. The report shall include the following goals:
“ a) Gain the approval of at least 60 percent of the property owners affected by the FDR Blvd. project to participate in paying for all costs of the construction of the proposed road.
“b) To give significant tax relief to all those properties abutting the FDR Blvd. and freeze that level of tax to coincide with the payment of any bond or loan program that they are able to arrange for the construction of the road with the amount of tax incentive to be studied by the FDR. Blvd. Task Group.
“c) The purpose of this Tax Increment Financing District is to make public improvements which will generate private-sector development.
“d) Taxes will continue to be paid in the TIF District but taxes above the frozen tax level that are generated by the increased assessed value instead of being paid to the county general fund, will go into a special fund created by the county to retire bonds issued to originate the construction of FDR Blvd.
“e) The cost of building FDR Blvd. would fall chiefly on the property owners who would benefit by its construction and reli
<!–
–>
