Wednesday, July 15 - The town council tentatively agreed to set a .867, mill tax rate for next year, about 16 cents higher per thousand dollars of taxable property than last year's rate. The current rate is .709 mills.
Parking rates for residents and visitors also will double if the proposed budget is passed, climbing from $1 an hour to $2 an hour. Parking along Old San Carlos Boulevard already costs $2 an hour. The new rates would apply to the town's parking lots and beach accesses.
Wednesday's budget workshop also sparked more sharp exchanges between Town Manager Scott Janke and Mayor Larry Kiker.
Under pointed questioning from Kiker, Janke at one point responded "It's not like I'm trying to sneak something through like I'm hearing from you Mr. mayor.
Kiker responded, "If you want to be offended I'll be offended too.
It was the second time this week the two quarreled during intense numbers crunching. On Monday Janke believed Kiker was questioning his and his staff's efforts at building a balanced budget and said "that pisses me off." He apologized after Kiker asked him not to swear.
While this council is doubling parking fees in order to increase revenues it has steered away from looking at the low rates it collects from Times Square restaurants for putting their tables on the town-owned street.
Janke said his 38 employee-staff could use raises but council didn't address the comment.
The final budget, and the final tax rate, won't be set until sometime in September. It goes into effect Oct.1.

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