Do you have a child in high school? If you do, there is an EASY way to get service hours and make a difference in the community at the same time. Please visit www.CSStudentCentral.com to learn more about volunteer opportunities. I thank Peter Ocello and the Education Committee of our wonderful Chamber of Coral Springs for bringing this resource to bear. You can also learn about scholarship opportunities for college at the site.
As you may have read, we have accommodated the first round of Property Tax Reform and done well. We have been able to cut our (approximate $93 General Fund) budget by $3.75 million without impacting the vast majority of services we provide to you. We have two public budget hearings tentatively scheduled for September 14 and 18 at 5:15 pm at City Hall. The property tax millage and assessment rates will be adopted at this time. With the millage rate projected at less than $3.40, we will continue to have the lowest tax rate in the county for similarly situated municipalities. Please check our website at www.coralsprings.org to confirm the dates and times of the upcoming public hearings.
You do not need to wait in order to share your comments. Please email me at SBrook@coralsprings.org and the rest of the Commission to provide input and ask questions. While we have had several public meetings to discuss the budget, we have not had very many of you attend our meetings. I hope that your lack of attendance is a showing of support instead of apathy.
Some of our proposed cuts are indicated below:
Eliminate the equivalent of 30 full-time positions through attrition;
Reduce overtime throughout the City;
Substantially reduce health care costs through employees’ cooperation;
Restructure capital improvement and replacement programs;
Discontinue subsidizing the West Atlantic Library;
Reduce crossing guard assignments in excess of state requirements;
Reduce the museum subsidy;
Assign one SRO for every two elementary schools; and
Reduce spending on special events and committees.
While we will certainly feel some effects as we sharpen our spending and accommodate the demand for lowering your taxes, I am confident that your City will continue to provide you with exceptional service and responsiveness. I want to thank all of our employees, volunteers, management and my fellow Commissioners for this strong partnership in these tough economic times.
To help taxpayers make a well-informed decision this upcoming January, Broward County Property Appraiser Lori Parrish has posted a “Super Exemption” calculator on www.bcpa.net. This calculator will help homeowners determine how the proposed amendment would affect their property taxes. To access the calculator, click on Property Search and click Accept. You can access property records by name, address, property identification number or subdivision. At the top of the page, look for the “Super Exemption” calculator. The site lists the current assessments of property throughout Broward County, effective July 1, 2007.
I’d also like to encourage our residents to join Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward and make a difference in a child’s life. As a Big Brother or Big Sister, you get to be a kid again for a few hours a month while giving a child the invaluable gift of your friendship. Bigs and Littles get together in a variety of locations, at different times of the day, and share in a multitude of activities. Volunteers can chose from two different types of mentoring. School-based mentoring allows Bigs and Littles to meet one-on-one in the classroom, school library or resource center. Bigs and Littles typically read together, play sports, play computer games, or simply talk about life. Community-based mentoring is the traditional Big Brothers Big Sisters relationship, where volunteers and kids get together on their own to share fun activities they both enjoy. Volunteer recruitment will be held on Tuesday, September 18, at 10 am at City Hall, 9551 West Sample Road. To register, contact Pat Mirabello at 954-344-5907. For more information on the program or to apply online, visit www.bbbsbroward.org. I urge you to consider this valuable program that helps all of our families!
The Coral Springs Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee will be hosting “Golfing for the King” on September 14, starting at 7 am. This event will benefit the MLK Scholarship Fund for needy high school students, regardless of ethnicity. Cost is $125 per person, or $500 per foursome. Cost includes breakfast, one hour on the range, an awards luncheon and beverages on the course. To register, call Carey Suissa at 954-649-3839.
Don’t forget to get tickets to attend the City’s International Dinner Dance on Saturday, September 29 at 7 pm. This special event celebrates the diversity of cultures from around the world with a medley of international customs, food and dance. This year’s event features a Mediterranean theme. Cost is $50 per person if purchased before September 20; otherwise, it will be $55. No tickets will be sold at the door. Please call 954-344-1063 to purchase your tickets. Thank you Gladys Castro for all the work you and the committee do to make this event so spectacular.
Please also save October 11 for PNA’s 4th Annual Festival of the Flutes which will once again support the Community Chest of Coral Springs as well as the Lisa Boccard Breast Cancer Foundation and the Sidekick Foundation. For more information, please look at www.FestivalOftheflutes.org or www.pnanetwork.com. Thank you to Commerce Bank for your title sponsorship and to the Parklander for helping to raise money for these worthwhile causes.