A Huge Red Flag
When a candidate doesn’t understand the numbers… A HUGE RED FLAG SHOULD GO UP.
Town Commission candidates Bruce Larson and Steve Walters BOTH claim that the Town of Melbourne Beach has raised our taxes 62% and 60%, respectively.
LARSON boldly makes his claim of “a 62% Tax Hike in 6 years” on his slick flyer. CLICK HERE
WALTERS makes a similar claim of “60% increase in your Town taxes over the last 5.5 years” on his flyer. CLICK HERE
Truth and Accuracy Matter would like to explain how WRONG Larson and Walters are…
We took a random mix of homeowners in the Town of Melbourne Beach from the Brevard County Tax Collector public records. All examples shown are homesteaded properties owned by neighbors in our town. All four candidates homes have been included. See below.
Please Note: In the chart below, it shows that over the last six years, 9 of the properties had an increase, and 9 of the properties had a DECREASE. This speaks for itself.
Steve Walters and Bruce Larson… OUR TOWN RESIDENTS HAVE HAD NOWHERE NEAR TO A 60%/62% TAX HIKE !!!
Information obtained from Brevard County Tax Collector website
Two key points to remember:
Brevard County determines each and every property’s assessed value.
Discounts and exemptions are applied to individual tax bills by the Brevard County Property Appraiser.
To run a town, funding is required. When our town needs money for things like stormwater and road updates and repairs, code enforcement, fire and police protection, building permits and inspections, maintaining our parks and playgrounds, and protecting our river and beach accesses, etc., it collects property taxes from it’s residents. Again…these taxes are based on the Brevard County Assessed value of each of our homes.
Residents in town with higher County appraised property values, pay more in taxes. Total taxes generated by ALL our homes help pay for the services used by EVERYONE — including neighbors who live in our town with lower assessed home values and our elderly neighbors on fixed incomes.
Every municipality in the State of Florida follows the same budgeting and financial reporting procedure… Properties are assessed and municipalities determine the millage rate that property owners will pay. Contrary to what candidates Larson and Walters BOTH claim… our Town’s millage rate is an important factor and it is lower today than what it was in 2020. CLICK HERE TO SEE GRAPH
Since 1985 every municipality within the state of Florida has been required to turn in an annual audit to the Auditor General’s Office. There are no exceptions. When speaking with the JLAC Chief Legislative Analyst, Deborah White, it was explained to Truth and Accuracy Matter, that the Town of Melbourne Beach has NEVER had an issue with it’s audits since she has been there… and she has been there 25 years.
Jennifer Kerr, who is our Town’s finance manager does an excellent job. While candidates Bruce Larson and Steve Walters do not understand government accounting versus business accounting, Jennifer Kerr does. Jennifer received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida as well as her master’s degree in government accounting from FIT. Our town could not ask for a more proficient and dedicated manager of finance. It is Jennifer who completes and submits our final audits.
The Joint Legislative Auditing Committee (JLAC) will be presenting their findings as requested by Rep. Monique Miller, at a committee meeting at the State capital on November 17th, in Tallahassee. We expect their findings will be the same as they have been for the last 25 years… they will find nothing wrong with our Town’s accounting and budgeting practices.
Candidates Larson and Walters will be proven WRONG AGAIN.
**NEWS FLASH**
This was just delivered to doorsteps today:
Propaganda by town crier, Frank LaGrassa
Frank LaGrassa… You say, “crippling taxes”??… “very rich people”??… “doomsday zoning”??… Why are you trying to mislead people? There is no basis to any of your claims. In fact, the chart above proves that most residents have experienced only a very slight increase in their total taxes paid to the Town of Melbourne Beach… and just as many had a DECREASE in their total taxes paid to the Town over the past six years.
Take a close look at your home address Frank. It’s in the chart above. Over the last six years, you and your wife ONLY had a 2% increase in your total taxes paid to the Town of Melbourne Beach …. this tiny percentage difference amounts to $34.17.
It’s hard to make any sense of Frank LaGrassa’s comments in his closing paragraph of this flyer. We aren’t sure what he is trying to say, and honestly… we doubt that he does either. It’s nothing short of hyperbole and fear-mongering!
Ladies and gentlemen, our town crier, Frank Lagrassa, ardently supports Steve Walters and his FALSE claims of 60% tax increases. If Frank can’t understand his own tax bill, how is ANYONE supposed to take anything he says seriously? He is walking the town passing out dishonest information in support of Steve Walters. This is the blind leading the blind.
Walters’ last flier asks, “Why won’t the Riverside Drive PAC support ME?” The answer is simple Steve. You aren’t honest. You aren’t forthright. You aren’t respectful of others. And you clearly DO NOT UNDERSTAND BUDGETS. When you WERE on the commission, you voted “NAY” on every financial report presented at the RTCMs because you don’t comprehend numbers.
Our local PAC, Truth and Accuracy Matter, represents neighbors throughout our town. We currently have 133 active members who are spreading the good word about the candidates we endorse.
We love our town, we love our homes, we love that our property values are increasing while the personal taxes we pay to the Town of Melbourne Beach are the third lowest in the County. We do not try to create drama to polarize people in our town against each other. We don’t need to make up lies about “hi-rise development on both sides of Ocean Avenue and by Ryckman Park.” That’s outlandish!!! But, I guess lies are all Larson and Walters have to offer. Thanks, but NO THANKS.
Dr. Terry Cronin understands numbers… as exemplified by his successful medical practice. He has common sense and intelligence. He is civil-minded and solution-oriented. He is a listener with a servant’s heart who will lead with integrity and respect for our entire town.
Sherri Quarrie has the experience and tenacity to lead with a clear vision and strong values. She has the knowledge of our town ordinances to defend our Town Charter and ensure the preservation of our community. Sherri may appear to be soft spoken, but she has a keen eye for details and commitment to push-back when necessary.
BOTH Sherri Quarrie AND Terry Cronin DO NOT SUPPORT the “Future Growth” that Bruce Larson talks about in his fliers.
BOTH Sherri Quarrie and Terry Cronin ARE OPPOSED to the Mayor’s Lawsuits against the Town of Melbourne Beach.
Please make the RIGHT CHOICE. VOTE for TERRY CRONIN and SHERRI QUARRIE on Tuesday, November 4th.
NEW polling place: St. Sebastian by-the-Sea Episcopal Church, 2010 Oak Street, Melbourne Beach, FL 32951
HOURS: 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM
YOUR VOTE, Your Voice
CRONIN and QUARRIE
For News and Updates from Truth and Accuracy Matter, CLICK HERE