Public Hearing on Possible May Election set for December 1st

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The Florence Town Council is holding the first of two public hearings on Monday, December 1, 2014, regarding a proposed Special Election that would take place on May 19, 2015.  The proposed Special Election would ask Florence voters for the authorization to allow the Town of Florence to regain local control and exceed the state-imposed expenditure limitation for the 2015-2016 fiscal year.

With the failure of the Home Rule Option election in August, 2014, the Town of Florence is now subject to the state-imposed expenditure limitation, which will significantly reduce the Town’s ability to spend available funds for the next two fiscal years.  The proposed Special Election in May, 2015 would ask the voters to authorize the Town to exceed the state-imposed expenditure limitation for one year and spend available funds in an amount not to exceed the amounts that are budgeted for the existing fiscal year. 

If the voters authorize the Town to spend available revenues in excess of the state-imposed expenditure limitation, it would allow the Town to develop a budget that would maintain the current level of services that the citizens of Florence have come to expect in areas including police, fire, economic and community development, roads, parks and recreation, water, wastewater, and sanitation services.  

If the voters do not authorize the Town to spend available revenues in excess of the state-imposed expenditure limitation, it would reduce the Town’s ability to spend existing funds by an estimated $12,834,700 in fiscal year 2015-2016.  

The decision of the voters to authorize the Town to regain local control and exceed the state-imposed expenditure limitation will have no effect on the amount of taxes or other funds the Town collects.  A “no” vote will not decrease taxes and a “yes” vote would not increase taxes. 

The public hearing is scheduled to take place during the Florence Town Council meeting on Monday, December 1^st.  The meeting starts at 6:00pm and is at Florence Town Hall, located at 775 North Main Street. 

A second public hearing on the same topic will be held on Monday, December 15, 2014 during the regularly scheduled Florence Town Council meeting on that same date.  That meeting also starts at 6:00pm and is also at Florence Town Hall, located at 775 North Main Street.