News Cast July 30th:
Opposition to city tax hike
Okeechobee City Council began budget work by setting a preliminary millage at 6.9 mills. It was not unanimous as Councilman Bob Jarriel and Vice Mayor Monica Clark wanted a lower rate.
The rate can always be reduced but can not be raised.
They will see more revenue this year as property values are up 9 percent. The city estimates an additional $2.84 million in revenue.
Councilmember Bob Jarriel said the city is in a good financial position and he doesn’t support a 15 percent budget hike.
“In the economy we are in today that is totally ridiculous to even think about those figures. I’d like to set a millage rate and advertise it so we are dealing with a real budget item.”
The city is focused on improving streets in this year’s budget.
Vice Mayor Monica Clark was concerned a tax hike will hurt our small businesses.
South Florida water managers have been having discussions with various utilities about how much water they can have this year.
Executive Director Drew Bartlett said Florida remains in a good position with water supply with a lot of cheap water around.
He has been supporting more water storage around the lake particularly north of the lake.
Fishermen continued to lobby for replanting vegetation when possible in Lake Okeechobee. They want the lake levels held lower. They argue the vegetation serves as a cleanser for the lake water.
Scott Martin said the lake is in a unique condition this summer with no submerged vegetation.
“We talk about algae blooms, we talk about water levels, we talk about water going east, west, north and south. We need to talk about the submerged vegetation. There is zero vegetation in Lake Okeechobee. That has never happened before.”
New 4 D radar installed on school buses in Osceola County are hoping to prevent deaths.
It alerts drivers with LED lights and sound alarms if a pedestrian is near or under the bus. It also goes 360 around the perimeter of the bus. A 9-year-old boy died in Orlando in January when he crawled under the bus after he was dropped off.
A company in the new NEO park is working with the school system on the system.
District officials said the system also will prevent sleeping children from going undetected in a bus at the end of the day as it detects heart beats.
Randy Wheeler said the school bus is regarded as the safest mode of transportation.
“On a given school day all across the country the bus driver rallies millions of school kids to the curbs with a roadside bus stop. To a professional risk manager that has to be terrifying. Everything about the operation of a school bus is to mitigate any potential risk.”
The system also alerts drivers about vehicles in their blind spot.