COMMENTARY

MARK SCHUMANN

In a story headlined “Vero Beach residents should brace for tax hike,” Vero Beach 32963 reporter Lisa Zahner introduced a new definition of “tax increase.”

“Even keeping the rate of $2.03 per $1,000 assessed property value will mean a tax increase for most homeowner as the real estate market continues to rebound from the lows experienced in 2009 and 2010,” Zahner wrote.

Zahner doesn’t exactly have it right. It the City’s ‘s valorem tax rate remains $2.03 for the coming fiscal year, then $2.03 remains $2.03.  Admittedly, owners of properties more valuable this year than last will pay more in property taxes, but they won’t be paying a higher tax rate.  The same applies to taxes paid to the County, the Hospital District and the School Board.  In truth, a property tax liability that increases along with rising property values is not a tax “hike,” as Zahner suggests.

The County Commission last year actually increases its millage rate, but the island weekly gave that story little more than a footnote. The difference in the island week’s editorial slant toward the City seems to be reflective of an assumption that the City makes for a good punching bag, and that tabloid-style attacks on the City make for entertaining reading, especially for Vero Beach 32963’s island readers living north or south of the city limits.