The Tallahassee City Commission meets this afternoon to discuss a nearly $18 million budget surplus, and how to spend it. The money has emerged after the commission approved a 13 percent increase in the city’s portion of property taxes earlier this year.
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City Commissioner Gil Ziffer says news of full coffers took commissioners by surprise. He says he learned of the city’s $17.6 million surplus Thursday when the commission’s agenda was first posted.
“But we really have been trying to implement cost savings and I’m proud we’ve been able to do that," he said.
The commission will vote on reductions to utility rates and solid waste charges. Ziffer says the surplus could lead to a re-evaluation of the property tax increases, possibly as early as next year.
“If we’re seeing less money being spent, we should be able to justify it in the budget, which would mean lowering those millage rates.”
The commission begins meeting today at 4.
