Relocating Mosquito Control Will Raise Taxes

Good day Arnaud and Naja:

Thank you so much for continuing your coverage on the North Roosevelt Blvd construction fiasco.  I have not read anything about this in the daily or the twice weekly local papers.   It seems that they do not want to cover this issue which has an effect on all who live here and who visit, and who are trying to operate their businesses along that corridor.   Our city should be following the project and should be very vocal about what is taking place.

However the city’s focus is now with the channel, the homeless, the assisted living facility, and finding the ‘best’ use for the mosquito control building which was built on behalf of and paid for by the taxpayers of our county in the 1970’s.  Our current building would continue to serve the taxpayers were the city open to a new and revised lease for the property on which the building sits.

As it appears now, mosquito control must look for a property in the Key West area for our relocation in 2014.  This means we will have to increase our property tax in order to purchase and construct or remodel a facility.

All governmental agencies are beginning the budget processes for the upcoming fiscal year.  I have fought to hold mosquito taxes down for the last 6 years.   During this time I have supported a budget below rollback, and taxes were held back by over 43.37%.

For  the future of mosquito control program, we must be sure to own the facility and land.  The city may offer to lease other land to mosquito control, however I can not support building a tax payer owned facility on land not owned by mosquito control; to do so would not benefit our citizens/taxpayers.  It is my job to support the best decisions for all of us, myself included.  I too am a citizen and taxpayer of Monroe County.

Again, keep up the good work.  I share your articles on my facebook page and with my over 2,000 friends.

Regards,

Stephen K. Smith

*Florida Keys Mosquito Control, Board of Commissioners