KELLY FARRELL / Staff

Collier County Commissioner Donna Fiala sits down with the Marco Eagle to discuss the county's relationship with the City of Marco Island, where islanders tax dollars go and other top issues. Fiala has represented District 1, which includes Marco Island up to areas of East Naples, for about eight years. She won re-election this year after running unopposed.

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MARCO ISLAND — During the budget process Marco City Councilors and residents have said things like “if you’re worried about taxes, talk to the county, they’re the ones who get all the money. The city only gets 10 percent.”

Collier County Commissioner Donna Fiala, re-elected this year without opposition, agreed to sit down with the Eagle and share where the money goes and how the City of Marco Island relates with the county.

Fiala began as a county commissioner about eight years ago for District 1, which includes Marco Island, Goodland, Isles of Capri, and Fiddlers Creek up to portions of East Naples where she resides. Fiala also said she has a vacation home in Ohio’s Amish country and the Amish community has allowed her a close look at the otherwise private, segregated community.

Perhaps, Fiala has a way with bridging relationships.

Back when Fiala started with the Collier County Commission, the city and the county “got along like loggerheads,” she said of the early days about eight years ago.

She added that now, the relationship is very good and she attributes some of the improvements in the relationship to the 14-member Island Advisories Committee which keeps Fiala abreast of any island needs or concerns that fall within the county’s jurisdiction.

“We don’t do anything that has to do with the city (government). The County Commission and the City Council have a great relationship and we wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that,” said Shirlee Barcic, chairman of the Islands Advisory Committee.

Barcic said she has known Fiala for 30 years.

“(Fiala) hasn’t changed one iota ... She’s one of the most fair, honest people I’ve met in my entire life,” Barcic said, adding “She is the best thing that happened to Marco Island as far as the commission goes. She knows the island community’s concerns and she goes to bat for them.”

Fiala addressed the concerns about where tax dollars go.

“The county collects the taxes, so it’s the county that’s the bad guy. I don’t think people realize how much goes to the school board,” she said.

With that, Fiala pulled out a colorful pie graph supplied by County Manager Jim Mudd, showing where Marco Island taxpayers’ money goes.

The average taxable value of a single family home on Marco Island is $622,400 — leaving the average Islander paying about $6,600 for 2009 taxes.

The Collier County School Board gets the largest piece of the pie, nearly half of it.

“We need schools. We have to educate our children,” Fiala said.

The next largest slice of the pie, about $370 million, goes to the county general fund followed by the City of Marco Island.

So where does all that county money go?

“That’s what I wanted to know too,” Fiala responded, pulling out another pie graph to illustrate what services tax dollars provide.

The Collier County’s Sheriff’s Office spends the most money, about $157 million.

So was a Marco Island Police Department a smart buy given that Islanders will still pay the same to the sheriff?

“I believe Marco Island wanted their own police department to provide extra protection, over and above the protection they receive otherwise, just like the City of Naples. Let’s face it, it’s working,” Fiala said of the decrease in crime since the department began providing service in 2001.

She said a lot of the expense for the Collier County Sheriff’s Office is for “all that’s hidden from our view,” including the jail, the court system and the SWAT teams.

“I believe Marco as a whole would rather not have their own jail. The jail is very expensive,” Fiala said.

The Commissioner shied away from commenting on what the city should do or should have done when hot topics of recent city history, such as implementing the central sewer system and incorporating the city, came up.

“A lot of people tried to rope me into that ... I asked my advisory committee what to do on that one,” she said of the sewer program.

The committee advised she steer clear of the issue, which is just what she did.

“I don’t believe in stepping into other people’s arena and trying to tell them what to do. I wouldn’t step into the City of Naples and tell them what to do,” Fiala said, adding that she would only offer her opinion to city officials if they requested it.

What does Fiala think about the Jolley Bridge and the proposal of tolls?

Simply put, she doesn’t like tolls.

“(City Council) will want our input and we will support anything the Marco City Council wants to do,” she said.

In her opinion, tolling would dramatically hurt the businesses on Marco Island and she feared “losing all control” should the state sell or lease the bridge, similar to proposals for leasing Alligator Alley.

“ ... But I’ll take may lead from the Marco City Council on that,” she concluded.

As for the use of Tract K, although it’s an issue to be worked out between the Collier County School Board and City Council, Fiala offered her opinion.

“If it were me, the first thing I would want to know is what Marco Island residents want ... Then, I’d work towards that end,” Fiala said.

The District 1 Commissioner is at her on-island office on Thursdays located in the Collier County tax office on Winterberry Drive.

“The communication with her is fantastic. She sees anyone at any time,” Barcic said of Fiala’s accessibility to residents.

Some issues that Fiala and the Collier County Commission have fought for in favor of Marco Island include Hideaway Beach restoration funding, grants to improve landscaping along the SR-951 corridor, Tigertail improvements, transportation for hotel employees and the Marco Island Historical Society.

The county donated $4 million worth of land next door to the county-operated Marco Island Branch Library toward the future Marco Island Historical Museum. The County Commission also approved $225,000 in tourist development grants funded by taxes the county collects from tourist-related businesses, such as hotels.

Once built, the county will pay to operate the museum and provide exhibit materials.

“This museum is going to be the jewel in the crown of the county museum system,” Fiala said.

Contact County Commissioner Donna Fiala at 252-8389 or DonnaFiala@colliergov.net.