I have had many residents ask why our taxes are going up this year. The main reason is that we are doing infrastructure improvements that are critically needed throughout the District. Those improvements are critical to improve and protect drainage and our roads.
Over the past year, we have had many culvert failures. These are the large culverts that go under our roads to connect canals. In the past, these projects were only done when needed. Meaning when there was a failure and it was an emergency, it would be contracted out.
Under the guidance and leadership of our new District Manager, Rob Robinson, as well as direction from the ITID Board of Supervisors we are now able to do these projects in house. This year, we have had to take staff from other projects in order to do the repairs meaning that other work is delayed.
An inventory of the culvert conditions has been made. A new crew has been created to do only culvert replacements and canal reclamations. This crew will be ready to begin work on the new plan once the new budget is in place October 1st.
Other improvements that will be made this year will include clearing canals and easements that have been overgrown for years, reclaiming canals, swale retrofits, all will improve drainage. Our roads require the road rock material to be replenished in order for grading to be effective.
So while I realize tax increases are not popular, I believe it was absolutely necessary for the District. Your tax dollars will be wisely invested to improve infrastructure thereby protecting your investment in your home.
Below are pictures of a culvert failure just identified by a resident last night. Staff will be working today to begin the culvert replacement.
Thank you for the information. It is understandable that a tax will increase for something like this. My next thought is once it goes up, will it ever go back down? Assuming this new program and crew stays in place the increase revenue will be needed every year to consistently fund this program. Then can we also assume if the program gets cancelled or redirected, our taxes will go back down? It seems taxes are like our ages…they go up but never down.
After Tropical Storm Isaac, the District Engineer was directed to do an assessment of the District. The assessment resulted in a recommendation that a twenty year plan be adopted and implemented to update and replace the infrastructure. The BOS then adopted the plan but never fully implemented it. That twenty year plan was also based on contracting a large part of the work out. Doing the work in-house, we can save money and time. It is safe to say, the new crew will be busy for the next 10 years at least. Having said that, I am in favor of being efficient and when it is no longer necessary to carry the extra staff because the goals have been accomplished, then we can reduce the taxes accordingly.
Paul, updating the infrastructure should have started 20 years ago. There is at least 20 years with of work to do. Will taxes go down? I will work with the Board and staff diligently planning to become more efficient to make use of every cent as an investment in our community. If we can reduce taxes in doing so, I will wholeheartedly support it. However, we have a lot to accomplish.
I fully agree, this and so much more needs to be done. Although it’s very perturbing to see the few things that I’ve asked to be done on my street or in my area get done and needless to say always seem to have to be redone because they don’t ever seem to get it right the first time, doesn’t seem to be much pride in the work they do. They don’t give a damn if they spread rocks into you’re swell.? We residents have to maintain the swells to have them come back to do things twice is a burden on our taxes, it eats up money that could be used to create better avenues of resources to do things right. Really why do things always seem to have to be done twice ??
I am not aware of things always needing to be done twice. Rocks end up in swales especially when it was newly redone because the grass isn’t set in yet. Feel free to email our District Manager with specific questions and instances of when something has needed to be redone. His email is Rrobinson@indiantrail.con