Wildwood Residents Question Size of Projected Tax-Rate

WILDWOOD — Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. told residents at a public hearing on the budget that the Commissioners are “working on it” when it comes to lowering the local purpose tax rate.
City Commission had introduced a $26.1 million budget in May of this year and an accompanying 18.2-cent increase to the tax rate.
The budget, as introduced, relies on $20,405,997 in taxes from city property owners, an increase of more than $3.2 million compared with the 2008 tax levy. However, city officials announced that it was looking to cut the proposed tax increase from 18 cents down to just under eight cents. The city sent the estimated tax bills to taxpayers last month with the projected tax levy in 2009 to be $18,461,828, a local tax rate would be 7.6 cents.
To keep the number down, that means the city has to make up the difference between the 18.2 cents and the 7.6 cents with other revenue sources.
“You’re always working on it,” said one resident. “I keep hearing the same rhetoric at every meeting but nothing has changed.”
He asked what, if any, suggestions the city implemented from the Wildwood Budget Advi-sory Board that submitted cost cutting recommendations to the city on March 16.
Troiano responded that the city did make changes to the budget and is looking into the city’s day-to-day operation and additional revenue sources.
Resident Kathy Mills asked was could be done, in terms of consolidating services, to save money.
Troiano said that “Wildwood is for consolidation, but we can’t make other towns join us.”
He said that in some cases, it wouldn’t financially benefit the other municipalities to join with Wildwood. Other issues he said are people not wanting to give up their jobs, their leadership roles and their identity.
Commissioner Bill Davenport said he would like to talk to any town on the island regarding shared services.
Troiano added he has done what he can to trim spending, noting his department heads in Public Works did not receive raises this year and he has cut the number of seasonal workers he hires from about 40 to 19 this summer.
Davenport added that he is requiring other towns to “chip in” for events, specifically parades and fireworks.
The mayor expressed frustration at residents that criticized the commission for working to bring the numbers down. Troiano said that easiest thing the city could do is approve a budget with the 18.2-cent rate increase, but the “easiest thing” would be unaffordable for the residents.
Commissioner Gary DeMarzo, who abstained when the budget was introduced, questioned the decision to send out tax bills with the lower rate. He said that if additional revenue is not found, taxpayers would have to make up the difference in their fourth-quarter tax bills.