Where can I find a copy of the budget?

· The proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year is available for viewing during the last two weeks of July, and the months of August and September. The document is available at the City Hall in the City Clerk’s Office and the Office of Management of Budget. A copy of the document is also available for viewing at the Lee County Library in Cape Coral and the two senior centers.

· The entire approved budget is available for viewing on or about December 1 of this fiscal year at the locations listed above and is also available online.

When and where are the public budget hearings?

State law requires that two public hearing be held to discuss the budget. These hearings occur every September. The first public hearing date is advertised on the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes (TRIM Notice) and the second is published not less than two days prior to the hearing in the local newspapers.

BUDGET AND BUDGET PROCESS – FAQ’S

A budget is a plan for using the City government’s financial resources. The budget discloses proposed expenditures for a given period and the proposed means of paying for those expenditures. Two basic components of a budget are the revenue or sources section and the expenditures or uses section.

What is the budget process?

January/February
· City Council meets with the City Manager and Department Directors to discuss the upcoming year’s fiscal policy and budget issues
· Budget instructions are sent to department

March
· Departments formulate budget plan and enter into computer system

April
· Budgets are due back to Budgeting Services from Department
· Analysis of budgets completed by Budget Analysts
· Summary documents are prepared for the City Manager

May
· City Manager meets with each department to review budget requests and service level priorities

June
· City receives preliminary taxable assessed value from Lee County Property Appraiser
· City Manager finalizes departmental meetings and formulates a proposed budget

July
· City Manager’s Proposed Budget is submitted to City Council for review
· City Council set tentative millage rates for general operations and debt service

August
· Five-year Assets Improvement Program introduced and adopted by City Council
· TRIM notices are mailed to property owners by Lee County Property Appraiser
· City Council workshops held to discuss proposed budget

September
· Two public hearings are held
· Millage rates are operating budget adopted to include changes to five-year asset improvement program

October
· Fiscal Year Begins and budget document is finalized

November
· Formal budget document finalized and submitted to Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for review

December
· Begin five-year fiscal forecast and update revenue manual

YOUR TRIM NOTICE, TAX BILL, PROPERTY TAXES, AND SPECIAL ASSESSMENTS
What is an ad valorem tax? Tax based upon the value of the property. Commonly referred to as “property tax”.

What is a special, or non-ad valorem, assessment? A special assessment is a charge levied on properties for the cost of providing a certain service or improvement, such as solid waste collection, stormwater fees, or utility improvements. It is called a non-ad valorem assessment because it is on the property tax bill but is not based upon property value.

What is the millage rate? The millage rate is the amount of property tax charged per $1,000 of taxable property value. For example, the City’s current millage rate for general services is $4.8787 and 0.0627 for debt service per $1,000 of taxable value. A property with a taxable value of $100,000 would pay $494.14 for city services.

What is a TRIM notice? TRIM is an acronym for the Truth In Millage Law, passed in 1980 by the Florida state legislature. It was designed to keep the public informed about the taxes as proposed by local taxing authorities. The TRIM notice is the Notice of Proposed Property Taxes required by this law. All property owners should receive a TRIM notice each August. Other taxing authorities for Cape Coral property owners include the School Board, Lee County, and independent districts such as Mosquito Control.

How do I calculate my property tax? The taxes due on a property are calculated by multiplying the taxable value of the property by the millage rate. For example, the property taxes on a home with a homestead exemption of $25,000 and a total tax rate, from all taxing authorities, of 20 mills can be calculated in this manner:

1. Determine the taxable value of the property:
Assessed value of home: $125,000
Less homestead exemption: -25,000
Taxable value: 75,000

2. Divide the taxable value by 1,000 and multiply by the millage rate:
(100,000/1,000) X 20 = $2,000

When do I receive my tax bill and when is payment due? Tax bills are mailed by November 1, and payment is due on or before March 31 of the following calendar year. Discounts are available for early payment. For more information on making property tax payments, please call the Lee County Tax Collector at 239-339-6000 or visit their website Lee County Tax Collector www.leetc.com.

My taxes are delinquent. Who should I contact? The Lee County Tax Collector is responsible for collecting tax payments, which become delinquent after April 1 of each year. Please call the Lee County Tax Collector at 239-339-6000 or visit their website Lee County Tax Collector www.leetc.com.

What is the rolled-back rate? The rolled-back rate is the millage rate, based upon updated property value assessments that would provide the same amount of revenue as the previous year’s millage rate. New construction is excluded from this calculation.

Why have my property taxes increased? Your tax bill may increase for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common reasons are:
* loss of homestead exemption or other change in exemption status
* increase in assessed property value (i.e. increase in market value)
* increase in millage rate by one or more taxing authority
Column 2 on your TRIM notice contains the amounts you paid last year for each component of your property tax. Comparing this amount to the proposed amount for the upcoming year should help you to locate an item that may have increased.

Why is the assessed value of my home different from its market value? The assessed value of your home is based upon the market value of the entire property. However, there is a state limit on the amount a residential property’s assessment can increase each year. If the market value of your home has increased substantially in the last few years, it is likely that your assessed value will indeed be lower than your current market value. For more information on how your assessed value is determined, visit the Lee County Property Appraiser’s website at Lee County Property Line www.leepa.org.

I think my property’s assessment is higher than it should be. Who should I call?
Property owners should first contact the Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office. Homeowners may decide to file a petition with the Value Adjustment Board to have the assessment adjusted. The VAB must receive these petitions before the deadline in mid-September 25 days after the TRIM notices are mailed by the Property Appraiser’s Office.
How can I apply for a homestead exemption? You can apply for a homestead exemption at the Lee County Property Appraiser’s Office. There is no fee to apply for the homestead exemption. As long as ownership does not change and you continue to use this residence as your primary residence, the exemption will remain in effect.

VOTER APPROVED DEBT (BONDS)

What is voter approved debt, or bonds? Florida law allows a city to levy separate property tax rates to pay for long term bonds. Bonds using property taxes to guarantee the payment of cost of principal and interest are known as “general obligation” (G.O.) bonds. The City issues the bonds only after the voters have approved the bonds. Cape Coral has two general obligation bond issues being financed through property taxes.

The General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2003 which was originally issued in 1989 to fund the costs of construction and acquisition of street improvements, parks and recreational facilities and public safety improvements. The final payment is scheduled for FY 2009.

Details on the City’s outstanding debt can be found in the annual operating budget under the Debt Management Section. This can be accessed online.

VENDOR REGISTRATION PROCESS

What is the process?
To become registered, vendors are required to complete a Vendor Registration Form. The form requires vendors to provide basic company information and to indicate which products and/or services can be supplied.

What is the purpose of the vendor registration process?
The City’s Procurement Ordinance requires vendors doing business with the City of Cape Coral become registered with the Procurement Division. It helps ensure that the City is doing business with reputable businesses and provides sources for goods or services.

How long does the registration process take?
Depending on the how the application is submitted, the registration process can take as little as two business days.

Where are forms available?
Vendor registration forms are available online under Online Documents, click on Vendor Registration, or call the Procurement Division at 239-574-0831.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL/BID PROCESS

What things are required to be bid?
Goods and services exceeding $20,000 are required to go through a formal bidding process.

How can a business find out about current Invitations to Bid and Requests for Proposals?
A list of current Invitations to Bid and Requests for Proposals (RFP’s) is available under the Online Documents or click Request for Proposals/Bids. Vendors can go through the vendor registration process to be notified of upcoming bids or RFP’s.

What is the bid process?
For items required to go through the formal bid process, specifications and evaluation criteria are developed, and a public notice is placed in the classified section of a newspaper with broad circulation. A specific date and time is set forth for the public opening of the sealed offers. The lowest responsive responsible bid is determined, then authorization is received from City Council and an official purchase order signed by the Procurement Manager is issued.

How long does the bid process take?
Bids are publicly opened 20 calendar days from the date that the bid or RFP is advertised in a local newspaper.

How do I find the recently rewarded Request for Proposals/Bid Results?
We post the results online under the Online Documents or click Request for Proposal/Bid Results.