Plantation may tax residents for costs of Irma

The city of Plantation may charge its residents a fee for hurricane debris removal.

The problem: The $16.1 million cost of cleanup is threatening to deplete the city’s $17.6 million rainy-day emergency fund. And reimbursement from FEMA could take at least a year — if not years — to recover.

Said Mayor Diane Veltri Bendekovic: “When you start depleting your reserves, it’s a concern.”

But not one faced by other cities. Plantation’s move may be a first in Broward County.

Pembroke Pines will use an estimated $10

million from its general fund to foot the bill, and no new taxes are being discussed. Lauderhill also said it will pull from its general fund because it expects the money to be returned; cleanup costs could reach $2 million.

In Dania Beach, the city will dip into its $8.9 million disaster reserve account to pay about $2 million in cleanup. The city’s practice “is to strive to maintain a disaster reserve account equal to two months of operating expenditures,” said finance director Nicki Satterfield, and so fees won’t go up.

Likewise, Boca Raton, Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Hollywood, Pembroke Park, Pompano Beach and North Lauderdale are paying for the cleanup with reserves.

Bob Levy, a former Plantation councilman, said the city pulled money from reserves during Hurricane Wilma, which also left debris in its wake.

Because the city will be reimbursed, “why would you possibly tax people anymore?” he asked.

Just how Plantation plans to charge its residents is still being worked out. Among the decisions: How much to charge; whether to make it a flat assessment or one based on a home’s property value; and whether it will a onetime or a recurring fee.

Councilman Jerry Fadgen said there are better ways to get the money.

“We shouldn’t try to add something else to the residents’ burden,” he said.

Rather than impose a fee, he wants the city to replenish its reserves through each year’s budget cycle over time. And he wants the city to arrange a quick loan for cleanup if another hurricane strikes before the city is reimbursed by FEMA.

Councilwoman Lynn Stoner hasn’t said yes or no, only that she has “very, very mixed feelings. I’d like to find another way.”

Some residents are divided.

Vicki Gelfund, who lives at Cross Creek Patio Homes, said she is open to hearing more about the citywide tax.

“If it has to be done, it depends how much it is,” she said. “If there is a tax and it’s a reasonable amount, I don’t have a problem with it.”

But Mark Workman, who lives in the Residences at Lakes of Newport, said that because taxpayers already funded the reserve fund, paying it again would be “double taxation.”

And once FEMA repays the city, he asked, “are they going to give us that money back?”

CARLINE JEAN/STAFF FILE Plantation leaders want to charge residents for debris cleanup, saying they want to keep city budget reserves intact.