Proposal seeks to build $100M police HQ

Station would cost taxpayers, decision may go to voters

FORT LAUDERDALE – A new Fort Lauderdale police headquarters would cost property owners for the next 30 years, but the decision likely will be up to voters.

A majority of Fort Lauderdale commissioners said Tuesday that they favor asking voters to support a $100 million new police station, to be built at the current site at 1300 W. Broward Blvd.

A formal vote will be taken in December. Commissioners said they want to talk to residents first.

“I think it’s very important that we don’t spin this in any way, but just talk facts,” Commissioner Heather Moraitis said, asking for talking points to convey to residents.

Is s u e s t o b e d e c i d e d a re whether to take the question to voters in March, where to build the new station and whether to combine it with a bond question for $150 million in parks improvements.

For a $300,000 home, the increase in property taxes for the police station and accompanying high-security parking garage would be about $50 a year for 30 years, City Manager Lee Feldman advised.

The city has maintained the same property tax rate for 12 years for general city operations, but because of rising property values, tax bills have increased every year. This tax would be in addition to any increase in the general city portion of the bill. Voter approval is required for a general obligation bond like the one proposed for the police station, where the money that’s borrowed is paid back using a prop- erty tax.

Few specifics about the current building’s problems were

BRITTANY WALLMAN/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Fort Lauderdale’s 1958 police headquarters on Broward Boulevard is proposed to be replaced.