Infantini Urges Residents To Attend Workshops
By Trudi Infantini, Brevard County Commissioner // February 9, 2014
Letter From Commissioner Trudi Infantini
Dear Residents and Business Owners:
The Storm Water workshop will now be held March 6 at 5 p.m. in Viera. The date and time change will permit more people to attend.
The Fire Assessment has not been moved (yet). It is still scheduled for March 13 at 1 p.m. in Viera. I encourage anyone planning to attend either workshop to call my office or email my office to re-confirm the date was not switched again.
Two public workshops to discuss doubling storm water and fire assessments.
The Brevard County Commission has workshops scheduled to discuss raising our fire assessments and storm water fees (taxes) for unincorporated Brevard County.
Storm water fees were added to your property tax bill in 1990 as an assessment in addition to your property taxes (“below the line” fee). The fire assessment was implemented in 2006, under a cloud of controversy by circumventing the voting public.
This is also an assessment, in addition to your property taxes, (“below the line” fee). These assessments do NOT face the taxing limitations placed on property tax (i.e. Commissioners can raise them 10 or 1000 percent without voter approval.)
Prior to adopting the assessments, management of storm water and fire control was funded out of your property taxes.
The workshop on February 13 will cover doubling of your storm water fees (taxes).
The March 13 workshop will discuss how much to raise your current fire assessments to keep pace with increased spending by the Fire Department. The Fire Department has purchased numerous ladder trucks and replaced or remodeled fire stations rather than prioritizing spending.
It is important to note the proposed school sales tax increase coming up on the November ballot will be a choice you will make as a voter, whereas these assessment increases do not need voter approval to take effect.
HOWEVER, YOU have a VOICE that can be heard!
Some Brevard County Commissioners raised your property tax rates 30 percent in the last four years.* Due to property value increases, your taxes will likely increase another 3 percent each year.
Can you afford assessment increases in addition to higher: medical costs, homeowner’s insurance, food costs, electric rate increases and higher property taxes?
I believe Brevard County taxpayers pay enough. We need to prioritize spending. Why spend millions on shopping malls, $5,000 a piece for palm trees, helicopters and another community center?
Please plan to attend the workshops to voice your approval or disapproval.
Sincerely,
Trudie Infantini
Brevard County Commissioner
District 3
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Trudie Infantini is a native Floridian, born and raised in Miami. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Florida International University and her Master’s Degree in Accounting from Florida Atlantic University.
is a Certified Public Accountant and worked for various Wall Street brokerage firms as a financial advisor, for Space Coast Credit Union as the Internal Audit Manager and as an Internal Auditor for the Brevard County Clerk of Courts.
As a Clerk of Courts Internal Auditor, Infantini saw first hand the waste and inefficiency in many County departments. This gave her the incentive to become involved and strive to make a difference in County Government.
In 2008 Infantini was elected Brevard County Commissioner for District 3 and she was re-elected in 2012 for an additional four year term. During her three year tenure as Chair of the Value Adjustment Board (VAB), she successfully spearheaded relocation of the VAB office from Titusville to Viera; giving citizens a centrally located hearing office in the county. Outside of government, Trudie’s community involvement stems from her love of children.
Infantini believes in less government and lower taxes. She consistently votes against tax increases, government regulation and wasteful spending.
Infantini is in her sixth year as an Accounting Instructor at Florida Institute of Technology. She and her husband, Tony, have been married for 32 years and have four grown children and one grandchild.
CLICK HERE for Brevard County Commission voting records
