October 6, 2008

ISSUE 1239

The governing board of the Southwest Florida Water Management District has adopted its millage rates and budget for fiscal year 2009, which runs from Oct. 1, 2008, to Sept. 30, 2009. Millage rates were unchanged across the board with the exception of the Pinellas-Anclote River Basin millage, which was reduced from .3701 mills to .3600 mills.

The district’s total budget for FY2009 is $376.5 million, which is $18.5 million less than the 2008 budget. The 4.7 percent drop is primarily due to reduced property tax assessment values, which result in reduced ad valorem tax revenues. Nearly half of the budget is designated for water-resource and supply-development projects and cooperative funding programs designed to improve resource management and alternative water supply development.