Marco officials to answer questions on Glon property

The acquisition goes to voters in a mail ballot referendum that will be tallied on Dec. 9 by Collier County Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards.

Adjacent to the Winn-Dixie, the 12 lots are bordered by Elkcam Circle, Lambert Drive and the Rio Waterway just south of Smokehouse Bay, and would satisfy calls for a community center and park included in every comprehensive visioning session held on Marco for the past decade. The almost 7 acres are currently owned by developer Dale Glon, who had planned to build a mixed-use commercial and residential center.

While city leaders are almost certain they will be able to obtain state grants to offset some of the purchase and redevelopment costs, fiscally conservative islanders want definitive answers now, including how much tax revenue the city will lose by converting the lots to public use.

In its recent newsletter, Marco Island Taxpayers' Association members accused council members of having little regard for their constituency.

"Taxpayers are in a dilemma. On one hand, some desire this park. On the other hand, they see city council demonstrating an inability to listen to its constituency and ensure that city staff follow specific guidelines to control spending," the newsletter stated. The group called for more a comprehensive assessment of the land's taxable value to the community.

Marco leaders reduced city taxes from $169 per $100,000 to $162 in September after Marco's property value increased by 13.6 percent, bringing the city's tax base to $6.72 billion.

Marco has a $24.52 million budget, which includes a $14.83 million spending cap. The cap, called for in the city's charter, prohibits leaders from exceeding the previous year's budget by more than 3 percent plus a cost of living allowance. There are certain exemptions to the spending cap, including gifts, grants and utility enterprise funds.

In an e-mail to City Council members last Wednesday, City Manager Bill Moss wrote that he'd asked Glon to estimate the land value and construction costs should he develop the land under the existing planned unit development agreement he obtained from the city.

Glon estimated $45 million, Moss wrote.

"Accepting that value, a developed project would generate $72,900 in city taxes each year," Moss wrote. That figure is based on the current city tax rate of $162 per $100,000 worth of property.

"Assume that City Council decides to reduce the millage rate to off-set the new tax revenue of $72,000 for the developed property. Also assume that the typical home has an assessed value of $325,000, less $25,000 homestead exemption. The homeowner will pay a city tax of $486 if the city acquired the property for a park, and $482.38 if the property were developed and the new revenue was used to reduce the millage rate, or $3.62 less," Moss estimated. "This analysis assumes that all other property values remain the same and does not consider that more open space may, in fact, increase adjacent or citywide property values and therefore off-set the revenue lost by additional development density."

The session starts at 6 p.m. at Mackle Park.