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City’s budget approaches $25 million
By Kevin Weiss kweiss@lakerlutznews.com
The City of Dade City has finalized and adopted its fiscal year 2021-2022 budget — with the price tag coming in at nearly $25 million. The figure represents an increase of about $7.25 million — or nearly 41% — from this past year’s budget. The Dade City Commission unanimously approved the second, and final, reading of the new budget, during its Sept. 27 meeting
at City Hall. No residents spoke about the budget during the public hearing. The fiscal year commences Oct. 1 and runs through Sept. 30, 2022. Slightly more than $1.74 million of the budgetary increase is due to a change in budgeting special revenue and impact fee funds, according to the city’s final operating budget book and other documents. In prior years, impact fee revenues were minor, due to limited growth in the city; beginning with fiscal year 2022, all impact fees
funds will be included in the budget. Also, in prior years, the local option gas tax was treated as a special revenue fund; now, this activity will be included in the general fund. Capital outlay and debt service represents the largest chunk of the 2021-2022 budget, anticipated to total $13.74 million (55% of the total budget) and up about $5.92 million from this past fiscal year. Major capital projects include construcSee BUDGET, page 9A
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Fo o d i e Fr i d ay with ka at tie & kel lli
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Park celebration = fun for all Grand opening festivities at the new Wesley Chapel District Park Recreation Center, located at 7727 Boyette Road, drew hundreds. This was one of those times when the cliché, ‘and a good time was had by all’ appeared to ring true. Above, youth ball hockey players honed their skills in a rink outside the new recreational center. See story, page 1B.
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Pasco extends multifamily moratorium By B.C. Manion
A look at the exterior of the new Wesley Chapel District Park Recreation Center.
Seven-year-old Reagan Peal, of Land O’ Lakes, concentrates on keeping her Hula-Hoop spinning during one of many games and events at the grand opening of the new facility. She was with her 10-year-old sister, Kendal, and her mom, Samantha.
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Pasco County has extended its temporary moratorium on new multifamily applications — which applies to a specific area of the county — until April 1, 2022. The approved 185-day extension occurred after Commissioner Christina Fitzpatrick called for receiving a report back on the issue within 90 days, but that request received no support from her board colleagues. The county board initially approved the moratorium on May 4 — retroactive to April 1, 2021 — at the urging of Commissioner Mike Moore, who expressed concerns that his district was becoming oversaturated by multifamily development. The temporary ban on new applications applies to an area contained in Moore’s District 2, essentially made up of Wesley Chapel and Land O’ Lakes. The area is generally defined as between State Road 52, on the north; U.S. 41, on the west; State Road 54 on the south; and, Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, on the east.The boundary zigzags between Moore’s District 2 and Commission Chairman Ron Oakley’s District 1. Initially, the temporary ban was set to expire on Sept. 28. The temporary ban’s intent “is to study the potential oversaturation due to the existing and all possible future multifamily developments within the moratorium area and to determine whether additional regulations are necessary,” according to a resolution the board approved at its Sept. 28 meeting, to exSee MORATORIUM, page 9A
Should Pasco ban the retail sale of pet rabbits? By B.C. Manion
Pinellas County took in 246 pet rabbits last year. “We don’t have the statistics yet of the Humane Society of Pinellas, Pasco County outlawed the sale of but we’ll get those to you. kittens, puppies, cats and dogs from “And the Humane Society in pet stores last year, and now animal Tampa took in 190 pet rabbits, as of advocates are urging the Pasco July this year. County Commission to halt the retail “There are no facilities that acsale of pet rabbits, too. cept pet rabbits in Pasco County,” A trio of speakers appeared before she said. the county board during the board’s A couple of good Samaritans public comment portion of its Sept. began the Suncoast House Rabbit 28 meeting. Rescue in 2019, Rivard said. Kurtis Marsh, of Holiday, explained COURTESY OF MARY RATHMAN “Since then, they have taken in the need for the change. “Rabbits, if you don’t know, are the This bunny was kept in a loving home; unfortunately, rabbits over 100 rabbits.They line up fosters to help them. third most popular pet, which makes often are ‘impulse buys’ and are abandoned on the streets “They cannot keep up with the them the third most dumped pet,” shortly after their purchase, say some animal advocates who want to ban the retail sale of rabbits at pet shops. overwhelming number of calls they Marsh said.. get from people who are turned “This year alone, because of away from the nonprofits because COVID-19, our small rescue has taken in 25 rabbits. you on the dog chaining law for Pasco they have no space,” she said. Just this month, the people who run the “Since the first of September, there have County.” been a total of 66 rabbits we’ve been conNow, the focus is on trying to end the shelter said they had to turn away 60 rabbits. tacted about — either dumped, or someone sale of rabbits by pet stores, she said. “Pet rabbits are not native to Florida and is about to dump them. People call the res“We’re working on this issue with five cues and threaten to dump the rabbits,” he counties that make up the greater Tampa they can easily die of temperatures below said. Bay area: Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, 50 degrees and above 80 degrees.They also By prohibiting the sale of rabbits at pet Manatee and Sarasota. Not a single county- do not know how to find food and shelter. “Commissioners, we are asking for your stores, the number of rabbits being dumped run animal shelter takes in pet rabbits. Only on the street will decline, he said. four nonprofit facilities accept pet rabbits,” help with this issue. “As far as we can see, we have two opPeople are buying pet rabbits over the she said. weekend and dumping them by Tuesday of She then recited some statistics for the tions. Even provide a facility to take in unwanted rabbits, or ban the retail sale of the following week, he said. county board. “SPCA (the Society for the Prevention rabbits. “It’s just gotten that bad,” Marsh said. Another speaker, Renee Rivard, reminded of Cruelty to Animals) in Manatee County See RABBITS, page 9A commissioners:“We worked with some of took in 76 rabbits last year. The SPCA of
bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com