North Port to reconsider roads, other capital projects to pay for new police station

NORTH PORT – The decision on how to fund a proposed new $122.7 million police station will undergo further scrutiny at a special meeting of the City Commission set for 9 a.m., April 1 in chambers at City Hall.

Last Tuesday night, city commissioners decided to change what had been a workshop to discuss projects earmarked for funding through the local sales tax to determine which are “needs” vs. “wants,” as officials struggle to find money for a facility envisioned to meet the Police Department’s space needs through the year 2065.

That change also came afte officials received negative feedback at a March 21 Town Hall on the project.

That feedback suggested voters may not approve a referendum asking them to approve spending $50 million in sales tax funds and a property tax increase to fund a $35 million bond to partially fund the facility.

City commissioners – still missing Commissioner Pete Emrich, who is recovering from injuries in a motorcycle accident – indicated they’re not yet ready to scale back the station, as several speakers suggested on March 21.

What would the North Port police station project include?

City officials want to build a 108,900-square-foot main building, 7,400-square-foot special operations garage and 5,230-square-foot vehicle uplift garage on 19.2 acres off of Toledo Blade Boulevard spacious enough to accommodate agency growth through 2065.

There are options to scale that back to save money, but with the prospect future additions would cost more because of inflation and possibly more stringent building codes.

How will the money for the North Port police station be raised?

In addition to the yet-to-be-determined bond that voters would be asked to approve on Nov. 5, city officials plan to sell several assets – including the current police facility to Neighborhood Development Services, which could pay roughly $7 million for what would become its new home.

A variety of other city landholdings have been discussed as well.

City officials will also explore applying for state and federal grants.

What will be discussed April 1?

The city's extra sales tax is projected to generate $316.3 million in revenue from fiscal year 2024-25 through fiscal year 38-39.

Funding for Phase I of widening Price Boulevard is already committed but city officials have long pointed to postponing Phase II of widening Price Boulevard as a way to free up almost $50 million.

Now, the commissioners will look to find even more funding as a majority of the commission isn’t eager to pursue any dedicated funding through a bond tied to a property tax rate increase.

“Increasing the millage rate −been there, done that in 2019,” Commissioner Debbie McDowell said, referring to the last time a City Commission increased property taxes. “That is a last resort.”

Vice Mayor Phil Stokes – who again brought up the process of a lease-purchase agreement to spread out the cost of building the facility – stressed that he prefers using sales tax revenue to a property tax rate increase.

“The issue is that property owners under this present approach of combination of surtax and millage rate to pay it puts a property owner in a position of having to pay twice.” said Stokes. “We all pay to the surtax through consumption.”

He also liked the fact that the half-percent sales tax is collected countywide but distributed based on population – which means North Port receives a portion of the tax collected outside of the city limits, too.

In addition, the commission may also commit to funding the design of the building, projected to cost $4 million, which currently would come out of the general fund.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: North Ports seeks to fund new police station by cutting other projects