When we first received notice of an assessment to perform necessary work on streets and washes there was an immediate question that came to our minds. Why is the Town using an out of state billing company to collect the fees? Surely this firm has to charge for expenses in mailings, and then of course there is no doubt a percentage given to them for their work.

Instead of all the rigmarole involved, why not take a simple approach? After all, $36 per year is not a great amount of money and, without doing the math, what effect would this have on the mil rate for our property taxes each year? By collecting directly and eliminating the go-between in Florida, the Town realizes a greater portion of the collection. In fact, they would realize the entire amount of the assessment.

As for not being able to find a reliable source for taxable properties in the town, it would seem this scheme wasn’t very well researched. All we learned was that the county assessor doesn’t seem to have a grasp on taxable properties either. I guess that’s the result of the council not having the fortitude to use the dreaded word, “tax.”

You can call this an assessment, but it’s still a tax.