Wednesday, May 17, 2000
Florence makes case for bigger share of Boone Co. budget
Tax burden called unequal
By Kristina Goetz
The Cincinnati Enquirer
BURLINGTON — Florence officials made their pitch for funds for several city projects Tuesday, telling Boone Fiscal Court they're receiving only 29 cents on the county tax dollar.
Florence Mayor Diane Ewing Whalen said the city receives only an estimated $1.76 million of more than $6.2 million the county collects from city residents and businesses in the form of payroll, property and other taxes.
“It's more than just a simple matter of return on the dollar,” she said.
The county pays for services for people in its unincorporated areas while the city foots the bill for those same types of services — fire, police, garbage collection and street lighting — within the city limits.
“We're saving the county money by providing those services to our residents,” Ms. Whalen said. “It's only fair to return those dollars back to us in other forms.”
The county has already allocated $100,000 of the $425,000 requested by the city in its budget. That $100,000 is earmarked for a pavilion with public restrooms at the city's new South Fork Park. It's in the area of Farmview and Pleas ant Valley Meadows subdivisions and borders a portion of unincorporated Boone County.
The city also wants:
ã$25,000 to install 35 handicap ramps in the western part of the city.
ã$250,000 for Main Street lighting. The city has completed the first three phases of a project that revi talizes the Main Street area. This request would help fund the next phase.
ã$50,000 for master planning and design documents to improve Mall Road.
Judge-executive Gary Moore said he added the parks request to the budget because recreation facilities are needed in the eastern part of the county.
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