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r 5.3 MILLAGE RATES (HB 1015 & SB 1222) Background: Property tax rates (i.e., millage rates) are set by local government governing boards each year and applied to local property tax bases to generate funding for local government uses. During the economic downturn, Indian River County chose to be a good steward and levied a millage rate lower than what was permitted by law in an effort to assist its citizens in recovering from the econonuc crisis. In 20071 2008, Indian River County reduced its total millage rate of the general fund, MSTU, and Emergency Services by 30%. To this day, Indian River County chooses to levy a millage rate that is lower than what is permitted by law because its citizens are still in the process of recovering from the economic downturn. Pursuant to current law, Indian River County has earned roll -back credits throughout the years. Historically, Indian River County has never used any of its earned roll -back cred- its. However, in the event that it would need to open a new fire station, Indian River County might need to use the roll -back credits it has earned. Legislation: This legislation would have changed the formula for calculating the simple majority vote maximum millage rate. Instead of using a rolled back rate assuming the previous year's maximum rate was levied, the revised formula uses a rolled back rate using the prior year's aclual levy. As such, the legislation would have locked Indian River County into levying the lower millage rate from the pre-%ri- ous year, Iand would have prohibited Indian River County from redeeming its earned roll -back credits. The legislation would have punished Indian River County, the City of Sebastian, the City of Vero Beach, the City of Fellsmere, the Town of Indian River Shores and the Town of Orchid for being good stewards in the past. Amended. Representative Mayfield recognized P } gru ed that the proposed language was going to negatively impact her community as well as countless other communities. After meeting with the sponsor of the bill, Representative Mayfield successfully offered a friendly amendment which deleted the harmful lan- guage from the amendment to HB 1015 thus protecting our fiscally responsible local governments. Update: The legislation died on the calendar. The County anticipates that this legislation will return next year., 5.4 SPECIAL DISTRICTS (HB 745 & SB 516) Background.Special districts are governed according to chapter 189, Florida Statutes, the "Uniform Special District Accountability Act." Florida law requires that certain information, including financial information, be placed onto a website for the public to access. Legislation: The proposed legislation would have substantially changed the manner by which all spe- cial districts are required to provide budget information to the public. The bill would have required each special district to publish a version of its budget online that would allow the public to view the information in a variety of specific graphical and tabular formats and access multiple types of detailed financial information simultaneously. If this legislation were successful, it would have a negative impact on Indian 'River County, as well as other local governments, because it would require the purchase of very specific software to be able to comply with the legislation. Update: The legislation died in committee. The County anticipates that this legislation will return next year. 8 20