Becker's candor on City Council opens a debate on millage rate, reserves, investment, and critical needs in Apopka's upcoming budget

Commissioner Kyle Becker only has four City Council meetings left before his term ends, but he is making the most of them.

At the February 21st meeting, he had what can only be described as "a rant-gone-right". It came near the end of public comments after Central Florida Soccer Club President Naji S. Khouri pushed the Council to add soccer fields at the Northwest Recreational Complex in its upcoming budget.

How to effectively lobby the Council

"First and foremost, I want to thank Coach Naji for advocating on behalf of the organization," Becker said. "It's a testament to your league. Clearly, the number of people that are here tonight is unexpected. But it's always good to see a packed house. This is a great opportunity for you to coach in real life, not outside or not on the field, coaching soccer. But what happens when you need something done for you and the process by which to do it? This is how it should be done."

It's something the CFSC has been doing effectively for at least a few months when they lobbied the Parks and Recreation Department to improve field conditions before the start of its soccer season. But that was not the only point Becker made.

Millage vs. Building a City

"By a show of hands, with people wearing red shirts or people advocating... how many of you are taxpayers in the city? Becker asked and then watched as several members of the audience raised their hands. "A whole bunch of you. Yet this board often squabbles over percentage points of a millage rate when it can mean having money to do the exact things you are asking us to do. In the last budget season, this board decided not to increase our millage rate slightly. We could have had half a million more dollars... but we didn't do it because we didn't know where to put it." 

A millage rate frozen in time

4.1876.

For those of you not keeping track, that has been Apopka's millage rate for three straight cycles. For some, that's a bragging right of consistency and low taxes. But for an emerging and growing city of almost 60,000, it represents several missed opportunities to fund Apopka properly.

Becker then put the entire millage issue into proper perspective.

$12 a year vs. a better City

"But please encourage this Council," Becker said. "Keep coming and saying, 'Hey, at the end of the day, is paying $12 a year more on your tax bill (worth it) if it means you're playing on better fields?' How much is that going to be in terms of doctor expenses when you're having to pay for a broken ankle? I mean, people... put things in perspective."

Reserves beyond reason

Becker also took on the idea that massive reserves beyond any practical use keep the city hamstrung from properly budgeting so many needs in Apopka.

"We've got millions of dollars sitting in the bank," he said. "We are well above what is supposed to be a well-funded general fund reserve. That money is doing nothing. It's reserved to do nothing but make us feel comfortable at night. Let's not worry; we've got close to 25%, maybe 30% of our expenditures tied up in reserve balances. That's just kind of earning some money... if Mr. (Radley) Williams (Parks and Recreation Director) wants to come back and say, 'Hey, here's what it's going to cost to expand fields into the undeveloped portion of the northwest side of that property' and have this Council react to it. You know, you have an advocate in me. I'm here till April 17th. I would be happy to do so."

Later, Becker clarified his "million-dollar" remark but also specified where the reserves stand and how they could be used better.

"When I say millions of dollars... let me let me clarify that. It's a right clarification, really, from a city perspective, they said we should have 16.67% of your general fund expenditures in the general fund reserve account. So it basically equates to two months' worth of our expenditures should something go boom in the night and the city be in a catastrophic situation... we'll be able to get things back online. There's been talk about a current policy that the Board passed to strive to have 25%. Okay, three months' worth of general fund reserve balance is based on general fund expenditure. Anything above and beyond that, it's just one finger in the air. Why do we have that much in terms of reserve if we're not actually spending it on the things that our residents are expecting from this board?"

Becker went on to question what could possibly cause Apopka to need such an extreme amount of reserves.

"You have to think about why we would have such a high reserve balance. Do we have unique infrastructure spends that if something were to catastrophically happen, that we need to get things back... like bridge infrastructure in which we don't really have a whole bunch of bridges in Apopka and things like that, and so then it becomes, we're not using the money as it was intended. And that's where I say we have millions of dollars above that 16.67% threshold. That's money that can be reallocated for the purposes that we're discussing."

A new way to craft a budget in FY 2024/25

 I would urge the city commission and the candidates who may emerge to the Council not to allow the standard operating procedure of the administration/staff writing a pre-balanced budget, complete with millage rates, reserves, and department heads who have already made cuts in their budgets. NEVER raising the millage rate, plus budget cuts, plus a massive reserve equals underfunded police/fire departments, limited economic development, understaffed departments, high turnover, no full-time city administrator, an underdeveloped downtown, and... well, you get the picture.

Instead of a turnkey process that makes the budget workshops ceremonial, why not demand input into the early stages of the process and bring each department head to the Council with their first draft of budgets revealing every expenditure they believe is necessary to run their department effectively - plus any wishlist items they may want to discuss.

This gives the Council the opportunity to hear every idea the department heads have and to determine what they need to run an effective department. Maybe there will even be a moonshot proposal among the ideas.

Finally, do not set a millage rate until after the total budget is counted.

If the millage rate is higher than the Council is comfortable with, go back and decide what has to be cut. Decide which is more important - a millage rate or potential critical expenditures to run an emerging and growing city.

Let this be the year the City Council works together to take the budget in the direction it needs to go. I know it sounds cool to say you never raised taxes, but in the meantime, how far is Apopka falling behind other emerging cities in Orange and Lake Counties in the process?

It's rare when an elected official or candidate talks about why it's important to weigh investment with tax rates and reserves, but I, for one, applaud any of them who do. Thanks for the candor, Commissioner Becker. You will be missed on the City Council.