- April 19, 2024
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Dear Editor:
It is always interesting to see the responses to growth and development here in the city of Palm Coast. The reality is we have always been growing, but we have a housing shortage, and the development is the response to that continual demand.
There were about 65,000 residents here when we moved here in 2004, and we are now well over 90,000 within city limits. I agree that infrastructure is always a concern, and the city has planned for that and is continuously working on upgrades and maintenance. Those projects take time and they take money.
What I don’t agree with is solely looking to the city for solutions. We need to start demanding the county step up as well. Take a look at your property tax bill and you’ll see that only about 23% of your property taxes goes to the city, and it’s the city providing for all of the infrastructure and most of our services. In comparison, the county takes almost double what we all give to the city. Our county tax dollars go toward constitutional officer salaries and those offices: the county commissioners, the Flagler County Supervisor of Elections, the Tax Collector, the Clerk of Courts, and the sheriff.
Isn’t it time the county start contributing to help pay for the growth, not only in the city of Palm Coast but the other local municipalities as well?
Whether that be through “grants” to the municipalities or the county simply cutting the county millage rate, allowing the municipalities to raise theirs which would simply shift where our taxes go. In either scenario, it would not cause an increase to residents.
Isn’t it time the taxes we pay come back into our city, which is the one improving and maintaining our infrastructure and providing our services?
The city of Palm Coast is the good majority of the county and a huge contributor to county tax revenue.
It’s election time and time to press county commissioner candidates on how they plan to start supporting local municipalities, get our money back into our communities, and stop double-taxing where it’s taking place. No candidate for county commissioner in my time here has ever talked about how to better support local municipalities.
We need our tax dollars so local municipalities can have the resources they need to expand efforts and do more in a quicker time frame.
Brad M. West
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
As a resident of Lehigh Woods since 2011, I am concerned, not by the building of homes on existing lots, but by the flagrant disregard of current zoning of larger parcels by developers. Case in point is Ryan’s Landing, a 27.79-acre property owned by SeaGate since 2003.
SeaGate actually sued the City of Palm Coast in 2007 to rezone it from greenbelt/1 home per acre to a 64-home zoning plan. Now SeaGate wants a new rezoning to 95 homes with 50-feet-wide lots instead of the current 80 feet — a 49% reduction in lot size!
If you disagree, please contact me at 619-517-0338 to sign our petition requesting a denial of such new rezoning.
Kim Olson
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
I was glad to read the mayor’s State of the City address in a past edition. He presented a very positive view of the city and its future.
However, the glaring omission was any support of the arts. We have many, many talented artists and organizations in our Flagler/Palm Coast community. All of these are very valuable to our communities, but they are all struggling. Maybe a tip of the hat or a commitment of support would help the arts flourish — not struggle. Besides increasing the quality of life here, there are so many positive economic impacts the arts bring.
Second, I am so glad to see the repaving of Belle Terre. It was an embarrassment to our city. Now how about repaving East Hampton Boulevard? I live in Cypress Knoll, and East Hampton is our “Main Street.” Everyone who lives here has to travel it every day, and it is full of pothole repairs that are almost worse than the potholes!
I have always been proud of our city, but I think as far as Cypress Knoll goes, the city is not living up to its commitment regarding road maintenance.
Lindsey Florence
Palm Coast
Dear Editor:
As Lt. Col. Baskerville stated, it is indeed meaningful to honor these young men and women electing to serve our country. I commend these students, the instructors, their parents and the school for having these programs available. Special praise to the scholarship award winners, Ms. Romero and Mr. Buckles. Keep up the good work. You will serve our country well. Thanks to Mr. Woronoff and the Palm Coast Observer for publishing the articles.
Jim Mangano
Palm Coast
