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LA-MSID passes budget without tax increase

By Staff | Sep 9, 2015

Nathan Stout

For the seventh year in a row, the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District unanimously voted to pass a budget for the fiscal year 2015-2016 without a tax increase to the citizens of Lehigh Acres.

The budget passed by the board of commissioners maintains its non-ad valorem assessment rates.

LA-MSID replaces the old East County Water Control District, which was abolished through legislation sponsored by State Rep. Matt Caldwell during the last legislative session and signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott.

It’s a multi-county Chapter 189 District created by the state to provide drainage and flood control; conservation and mitigation; as well as irrigation and navigation services to Lehigh and western Hendry County, according to officials.

Moving water to meet varying conditions and needs is essential to sustaining the local environment, according to a statement from LA-MSID.

David Lindsay

Officials said all residents in the district’s boundaries benefit from the infrastructure and services provided by the LA-MSID.

According to a statement released by the agency, the district’s 311 miles of canals play a crucial role in draining land after heavy rainfalls as well as in water conservation.

“Without these canals Lehigh Acres would be uninhabitable, said David E. Lindsay, LA-MSID district manager.

Information provided noted that property owners within Lehigh Acres MSID’s boundaries pay $26.28 per quarter non-ad valorem assessments to the agency.

The average property owner in Lehigh owns a quarter or a half acre lot. A non-ad valorem assessment is based on the size of one’s property, while an ad valorem assessment rate is based on the value of one’s property.

Today, Lehigh Acres MSID is comprised of 62,566 acres of land and some 60,000 of these acres are situated in Lee County with the remaining acres in Hendry County – this includes only 47,762 taxable acres.

Nathan Stout, chairman of the LA-MSID’s board of commissioners said “the budget passed by the board of commissioners has enough funds to sustain all necessary projects and services for this fiscal year.”

“However, as prices go up and infrastructure continues to age, each year becomes more and more of a challenge to keep rates from increasing,” he said.

Stout said LA-MSID’s board of commissioners and district staff have been working hard to form community partnerships and pursue grants to help implement needed projects.

The agency was able to continue without an assessment increase due to part to two factors, Stout said “prior year assessment collections has increased and the district received a $3.2 million land-use fee from the Florida Dept. of Transportation, which helped build or rehabilitate critical infrastructure such as culverts.

According to the statement, Lehigh Acres MSID’s major programs and services include canal cleaning and mowing, rights-of-way maintenance and management, a national pollution elimination system, drainage and flood control, aquatic plant control, as well as overseeing and limited parks powers at Barbara Farrell Park, the Charlie Matheny Park and the Jim Fleming Ecological Park.

“Lehigh Acres MSID is dedicated to providing the best possible maintenance and management of area waterways while also ensuring the integrity of these resources in the future,” Stout said.

To get more information about LA-MSID, you can go online at www.la-msid.com or call 239-368-0044.

LA-MSID passes budget without tax increase

By Staff | Sep 9, 2015

Nathan Stout

For the seventh year in a row, the Lehigh Acres Municipal Services Improvement District unanimously voted to pass a budget for the fiscal year 2015-2016 without a tax increase to the citizens of Lehigh Acres.

The budget passed by the board of commissioners maintains its non-ad valorem assessment rates.

LA-MSID replaces the old East County Water Control District, which was abolished through legislation sponsored by State Rep. Matt Caldwell during the last legislative session and signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott.

It’s a multi-county Chapter 189 District created by the state to provide drainage and flood control; conservation and mitigation; as well as irrigation and navigation services to Lehigh and western Hendry County, according to officials.

Moving water to meet varying conditions and needs is essential to sustaining the local environment, according to a statement from LA-MSID.

David Lindsay

Officials said all residents in the district’s boundaries benefit from the infrastructure and services provided by the LA-MSID.

According to a statement released by the agency, the district’s 311 miles of canals play a crucial role in draining land after heavy rainfalls as well as in water conservation.

“Without these canals Lehigh Acres would be uninhabitable, said David E. Lindsay, LA-MSID district manager.

Information provided noted that property owners within Lehigh Acres MSID’s boundaries pay $26.28 per quarter non-ad valorem assessments to the agency.

The average property owner in Lehigh owns a quarter or a half acre lot. A non-ad valorem assessment is based on the size of one’s property, while an ad valorem assessment rate is based on the value of one’s property.

Today, Lehigh Acres MSID is comprised of 62,566 acres of land and some 60,000 of these acres are situated in Lee County with the remaining acres in Hendry County – this includes only 47,762 taxable acres.

Nathan Stout, chairman of the LA-MSID’s board of commissioners said “the budget passed by the board of commissioners has enough funds to sustain all necessary projects and services for this fiscal year.”

“However, as prices go up and infrastructure continues to age, each year becomes more and more of a challenge to keep rates from increasing,” he said.

Stout said LA-MSID’s board of commissioners and district staff have been working hard to form community partnerships and pursue grants to help implement needed projects.

The agency was able to continue without an assessment increase due to part to two factors, Stout said “prior year assessment collections has increased and the district received a $3.2 million land-use fee from the Florida Dept. of Transportation, which helped build or rehabilitate critical infrastructure such as culverts.

According to the statement, Lehigh Acres MSID’s major programs and services include canal cleaning and mowing, rights-of-way maintenance and management, a national pollution elimination system, drainage and flood control, aquatic plant control, as well as overseeing and limited parks powers at Barbara Farrell Park, the Charlie Matheny Park and the Jim Fleming Ecological Park.

“Lehigh Acres MSID is dedicated to providing the best possible maintenance and management of area waterways while also ensuring the integrity of these resources in the future,” Stout said.

To get more information about LA-MSID, you can go online at www.la-msid.com or call 239-368-0044.