Below is an email sent to Commissioner Mariano about the dredging costs:
DIANE KOBERNICK
Wed 9/5/2018 9:38 AM
To: jmariano@pascocountyfl.net
Cc: cfranklin@pascocountyfl.net
Commissioner Mariano,
On August 20th, I sent you an email about the increase in boating fees. I was pleased that you were considering raising the fees as one of the means to pay for the dredging.
Since then, I have found that your proposal of raising the fees from $30 to $50 per year will only affect one class of boaters. Most of all, your proposal will result in extra fees on the class of boaters that will benefit the least. For example, by raising the fees, Class A-1 that now pay $10.25 will have an increase of $39.75. Class 1 that now pays $33.50 will have an increase of $16.50. Yet, Class 5 that has a deeper draft now pays $194.50 per year, will not incur an increase. As you can see the class of boaters that will benefit the most are not affected by the increase. As you mentioned at the RESTORE act meeting, this will benefit shrimpers. In addition, the County’s directives to Dewberry indicated that Commercial Fishing will benefit from this deeper dredging
As mentioned at the meeting, there was talk about using MSBUs for this project. The definition of Municipal Special Benefit Unit is for those that will Specifically Benefit for the service. I can see this being a problem to justify having property owners pay for the dredging. I also see no mention of Commercial properties that will also benefit from deeper channels, specifically Windsong and Dockside on the North Channel in Gulf Harbors.
I would like to be notified on any and all meetings that deal with the dredging.
Diane Kobernick,
Gulf Harbors United, member
