Florida property tax amendment could force Clearwater to cut 140 jobs

CLEARWATER, Fla. - With just a few months to go before the November elections, local governments are planning for the impacts of what may happen at the ballot box.

Clearwater budget impact

What we know:

Clearwater officials say they may have to cut almost 140 positions if the property tax amendment passes. 

If the property tax amendment passes, city staff told Council Tuesday at a special budget work session that they’ll need to find a way to make up more than $20 million in the two fiscal years after it goes into effect.

According to a memo city staff recently sent to City Council and staff’s presentation Tuesday, the tentative plan would be to cut about 75 full-time positions in 2028, and about 64 in 2029. The layoffs would be divided across the city’s departments that use the general fund.

Property taxes are the biggest contributor to the general fund, paying for everything from police and fire, city staff says, to public works and administration.

The memo also says they’d have to lower the police department’s technology budget for tools that help officers with investigations, cut down on park and rec services and more. 

Local budget preparation

What they're saying:

"It's so easy to just dismiss this as just, you know, numbers on a graph or on a piece of paper, but it actually affects not only our staff, but our residents," Council member Lina Teixeira said at Tuesday’s meeting. "So, every decision we make impacts humans. So that makes it very difficult."

"I appreciate everybody in this room taking the time to go through your budget and prepare for the potential worst," Council member Ryan Cotton said. "We do not know what's going to be happening come November and being able to look and have the forward-thinking is important, and I appreciate everyone's dedication to trying to get us there. But listen, the sky is not falling yet. It's just, prepare for the worst and then hope for the best. So, we'll see what happens in November."

Alternative city revenue

What's next:

City staff say they’re looking at other ways to make money, like renegotiating ticket revenue sharing at the BayCare Sound, and increasing prices at the Pier 60 Bait House. 

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