State Challenges Property Appraiser
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Local kid catches world A record Pacific Jack W A Crevalle R D ● page W 6C I N N I N G 50¢ YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER August 16, 2007 PAG E 1B 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Millage 6.792 Millage 6.6175 Millage 6.6175 Millage 6.6175 Millage 6.6175 Millage 6.6175 Millage 6.6175 Millage 6.0953 State challenges ■ Tropical property appraiser Storm looms 58,648,856 $ 56,811,888 43,515,032 ● $ $ Brown lowers 2007 assessments by 20 ■ 9,320,605,785 Bubba’s 39,339,371 $ 36,194,695 Beach $ percent and state demands justification 33,223,151 $ 30,187,980 8,862,690,708 $ 29,041,875 $ $ BY PAM BRANNON The and the county’s taxing authorities cannot $ Gulf Breeze News only two begin collecting those bills. 6,575,750,940 tax rolls “They have an awfully big hammer over $ [email protected] 5,944,748,181 in the our heads,” he said. “If they refuse to sign off $ 5,469,542,105 5,020,498,884 $ state not approved at press time by the Dept. on our tax rolls soon, then the county could 4,561,840,567 WEEKEND $ 4,165,501,347 $ of Revenue are Santa Rosa and Escambia end up having to borrow money to meet its Weather $ counties’. financial needs. And if Chris and I stand firm THURSDAY 8/16 “Chris (Jones, Escambia property appra- and refuse to increase our assessments Iso.T-Storms iaser) and I have submitted our tax rolls, but across our counties and the state refuses to O they do not meet the state’s rules about not approve what we submit them for our justifi- high 94 lowering assessments more than 15 percent cation, then the state actually could remove O Taxable low 80 Value in any one year. We both lowered our assess- us from office and send someone to tem- County ments of property values 20 percent, so the porarily take our place who would increase FRIDAY 8/17 Revenue state is making us justify our decisions. So the property assessments to the 15 percent Iso. T-Storms we are the only two county appraisers who level.” O have not had our rolls approved,” Santa Rosa But area property values have decreased. high 94 County Property Appraiser Greg Brown told Brown says he has 36 employ O low 79 SANTA ROSA COUNTY TAXABLE VALUE a group of Navarre area Realtors last week. Data courtesy of Gregory S. Brown, CFA - Santa Rosa County Property Appraiser. Photo Illustration by Nikola Stamenkovich That means he cannot send out tax bills, See VALUES DROP, Page 2A6 SATURDAY 8/18 Iso.T-Storms GBPD tops high 92O Alleged spa rapist gets probation low 78O all agencies FROM STAFF REPORTS State no contest Aug. 3 to the charge arrest on Nov. 2. The terms of Attorney of felony battery in one of the Ho’s probation will be super- SUNDAY Gulf Breeze News 8/19 [email protected] William cases. In a second case, a vised by State Probation and statewide Iso. T-Storms “Bill” deferred prosecution agree- will include the requirement O A man accused of at least Eddins. “We ment was entered and a third for psychological evaluation The Gulf Breeze Police high 90 Department has been named O two counts of sexual battery did consult case was dismissed. and counseling as required. low 78 will receive probation. with the vic- As a result of his plea, Santa Ho was ordered to have no the Championship Category Officials with the State tims before Rosa County Circuit Judge contact with any of the vic- winners of the 2007 Florida Law Enforcement Challenge Attorney’s Office recently we made an Ho Thomas R. Santurri sentenced tims. INSIDE announced that all three pend- agreement.” Ho to serve five years proba- Ho allegedly lured his vic- and Traffic ing criminal cases against Tanh Ho was charged with two tion. Judge Santurri addition- tims into a confined area and Safety Business 7A Van “Victor” Ho were resolved counts of sexual battery and ally imposed 274 days of was accused of forcing himself Awards, a Classifieds 3D following consultation with the one count of felony battery. incarceration in the Santa Rosa on female patrons of Nail Spa competition Community 3-5A victims in each case. Officials with the attorney’s County jail with credit for time Company located at 3088 Gulf among Crossword 3B “It was a plea bargain,” said office said Ho entered a plea of served since the date of his Breeze Parkway. Florida law Editorial 6A enforcement Faith 8A agencies and Health 4B traffic safety Paulding organiza- Island News 1B Commissioners hear impact fee debate tions to be named the "best of Outdoors 6C BY PAM BRANNON tomers, at a facility, and parking the best" in traffic safety. Schools 6-7C spots being built. Gulf Breeze News Sergeant Andrew Johnson Seniors 2&4D [email protected] Baptist’s consulting engineer coordinated the effort, gather- Sports 1-5C Don Jehle said their calcula- ing the data and creating the Talk of the Town 5A Baptist Healthcare and Santa tions, which come from a dif- submission that was judged by Rosa County are about ferent formula used at their traffic experts from across the “Mailing Statement is $100,000 apart on what they headquarters in Ft. Smith, Ark., on Editorial Page” state. The Gulf Breeze Police each believe should be a fair look at number of new employ- Department won the award ees. And since this is not a new FOUR SECTIONS impact fee for the new building last year in competition in Navarre. After working back facility, but an expansion of one VOL. 6, NO. 33 among agencies of their same and forth for “about a year,” already in operation, they do not AUGUST 16, 2007 small size. However, by win- according to the consulting believe the impact will be as ning last year, they were com- engineer for Baptist, they came great to Hwy. 98 and surround- peting this year in the ing areas as the county’s formu- last week to the county commis- business, but an expansion of an Attorney Championship Class, which is la shows. sion for “some direction.”They existing facility, I wonder if Thomas composed of all of the differ- Director for Baptist left saying they were not sure they might not actually be help- Dannheisser ent category winners from the Healthcare’s Navarre facility, they had any new direction, but ing our impact on the roads and said there was previous year. The Gulf did have more time for appeal. Nicole Brooker, told the board, home! community. Instead of people a form and the Breeze Police Department Baptist Healthcare is build- “We are expanding the campus being sent from the original ordinance won the award for the ing a 24,000 sq. ft. addition to there, but our goal is not to cre- building, down to Tiger Point or variation for Championship Category this its medical park in Navarre. The ate a standalone building. It is to Gulf Breeze for services, they appeal, that is year, beating out every other your give breathing room to people building stands behind the clin- why it has entrant for the title of "Best already working in the first can be served right there, across ic already operating on Hwy. been going Goodin Traffic Safety Agency" in the building, like physical therapy. the parking lot. I think maybe 98, east of Navarre Bridge. back and forth State of Florida. The category To give them some elbow room. we should look at a different Asst. Planning Director for for a year. winners receive equipment to the county, Bill Dubois, told Of course, we will attract new kind of way of figuring out impact fees for this kind of Engineer Jehle said he and expand and continue their commissioners that the differ- patients, but the new building is traffic safety efforts. facility.” his organization just needed ence in opinion over the impact actually for some relocation of Sergeant Andrew Johnson Goodin asked Dubois if the some direction as to where to fees is because of a different services, and to serve better the attended the award ceremony county staff was willing to look go from here. “We have been manner of calculation. He said patients we already have.” in Orlando and received the Call 932-8986 today Call 932-8986 today at a different kind of formula for going back and forth for a year, the county figures the fees County Commissioner award on behalf of the depart- this kind of building, or is it the and Baptist is paying on the based on new employees using Gordon Goodin said, “In these ment. Sergeant Johnson's county’s policy to say “our way original impact fee calcu- the roads to get to work, as well kind of cases, where it is not a efforts won traffic safety Enjoy your community paper community your Enjoy mailed directly to mailed directly as possible new patients, or cus- brand new facility and new or the highway.” County See IMPACT , Page 2A6 See GBPD, Page 4A6 GULF BREEZE NEWS (850) 932-8986 www.gulfbreezenews.com 2A August 16, 2007 GULF BREEZE NEWS Expelled GBHS student shares ordeal BY PAM BRANNON school building. She was afraid a statement, then being hand- would have to go before judge Gulf Breeze News of “getting into trouble.” But, cuffed a few hours later when with criminal charges, but [email protected] her idea of getting in trouble she tried to text message her shortly after the hearing with Thursday, Aug.