Supervisors vote to increase mosquito abatement tax
County supervisors Tuesday approved an increase to the mosquito
abatement tax
– but at a lower amount than first planned – while they also
agreed to lay off a vector control specialist assigned to the
duties.
Supervisors vote to increase mosquito abatement tax
County supervisors Tuesday approved an increase to the mosquito abatement tax – but at a lower amount than first planned – while they also agreed to lay off a vector control specialist assigned to the duties.
Supervisors approved the tax hike in a 3-1 vote – with Chairman Anthony Botelho opposing – and then also OK’d the layoff in a unanimous vote with Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz absent.
“I’m going to oppose it – 3 percent – being Portuguese and all,” Botelho said, while chuckling, regarding the annual tax hike for each property owner from $9.80 to $10.08.
Supervisors initially had considered increasing the annual levy to $10.16. With the slightly lower tax increase, the county will have to make up $6,400 in additional revenue or cost cutting, which officials said would not be difficult. The entire budget for vector control is estimated at about $185,000, officials said.
Supervisors have debated over the possible tax hike for months to help fund additional services, mostly needed for cleaning of abandoned green pools left vacated with abandoned homes.
The idea of laying off the vector control worker – while saving an estimated $67,000 annually in the general fund – came about recently after the county administrative office requested that department heads examine potential cuts in light of lower revenues.
County officials at the meeting noted that two workers assigned from the agriculture commissioner’s office will spend an allotment of their time – 50 percent for one and 30 percent for the other – conducting mosquito abatement duties.
A handful of critics, though, argued that the service levels inevitably would drop under that scenario. Officials such as the county administrative officer and an agriculture commissioner’s office employee contended that would not be the case.
“I want to be sure that we the taxpayers are getting what we were promised,” said local resident Kriss Costa, referring to voters’ approval of the mosquito abatement program in 2007.
Supervisors, however, sided with the county staff and moved ahead on the position cut. They discussed a letter received from the state department of health – expressing concern as to whether services would be adequate – but showed assurance the duties would get done.
“I have no reason to believe we won’t provide the service,” Supervisor Pat Loe said. “We’re going to have to make some really hard decisions.”
