Voters will decide three bond questions

Voters in Coral Springs will decide whether to add to their debt with a new tax. The three-part $77.8 million proposal includes drainage projects, a new pool and upgraded parks.

The three referendum questions will be on the March 13 ballot.

The cost would translate to a nearly 58-cent tax for every $1,000 of assessed property, if all items are approved.

Coral Springs initially considered whether to ask voters for $65 million in projects. But the administration urged them to mimic the city of Plantation’s recent success by breaking the bond items into three categories, in hopes at least one would pass even if other parts of the proposal fail. The bond items then grew to $77.8 million.

Public safety

The five items in the $27,352,000 bond are:

$4 million for a fire station reconstruction.

$1.6 million on license plate readers to track cars coming and going in hopes of catching stolen cars.

$18.5 million to turn the city’s garage and storage space into a new 50,000-square-foot building.

$1.5 million for a tactical training facility for police and $700,000 for emergency traffic signals.

Parks and recreation

The six items in the $26 million bond:

$5.6 million for a 9-foot-deep pool at the aquatic center.

$5 million for a 10,000-square-foot senior center.

$8 million to lay artificial turf at eight fields — three at Mullins Park; two at North Community Park; two at Cypress Park and one at the Sportsplex.

$2 million for construction of an amphitheater and splash pad; the location has not yet been determined.

$3.4 million to upgrade lighting in parking lots, pathways and fields in parks throughout the city to LED lighting.

$1 million to replace the American Little League building at Mullins Park. City officials said the current building is 40 years ago.

Streets and drainage

The four items in the $24,492,000 bond are:

$13.2 million for road resurfacing.

The remaining bond money is for drainage improvements for the areas of Corporate Park, Westchester, and Meadows and Dells.

If approved, the bonds would be paid back over 20 years.

The 2018 bonds would be the city’s fourth: Coral Springs property owners are already paying back $12.4 million from 2014 for public safety facilities improvements; $14.3 million of bonds from 2006 that financed public safety facilities and improvements at Mullins Park; and $5.8 million from 1998 bonds that covered enhancements to North Community Park and the construction of a gymnasium.

Some city leaders are hesitant, however. Commissioner Larry Vignola said some of the projects “have to be done, drainage has to be addressed, it’s not even a question, it’s a health safety issue.”

The majority of projects “are going to have to be done one way or the other” even if it comes from property tax dollars, he said.

But he said his issue is poor timing. He said the request comes on the heels of a property tax increase where more of the money could have been set aside for community improvements.

“I want to prove to the residents that they are going to get the value out of their tax increase before we go back to them,” Vignola said.

The 58 cents for this latest bond would bring the total debt to 83-cent tax for every $1,000 of assessed property, if all items are approved. For the owner of an average $260,000 house, after a $50,000 homestead exemption, this means $175.37 in taxes to repay bonds, in addition to the property taxes.