Businesses are likely to be hardest hit by road and drainage fees to be set today

NORTH PORT -- Retail businesses and restaurants likely will see substantial rate increases on their tax bill for this year, as the City Commission sets North Port's not-to-exceed road and drainage fees today.

The city's new way of figuring road and drainage fees protects most residents from a big rate hike. People who own apartment buildings will save money.

But the 3 percent of homeowners in North Port who have acreage could see rates go up by $245. They are not happy about it.

Resident Steve Liljegren, who lives on three acres, calls the new rates for road and drainage "unjustifiable increases in our taxes."

Historically, the commission has set rates arbitrarily and lower than consultants and city staffers recommended.

This year, despite rates going up for some, the city is planning to cut its budgeted revenue for road and drainage by more than $1.5 million next year.

"We're not collecting more money," said Public Works Director Branford Adumuah.

Still, how this $14 million bill for services gets divided is a sticking point for people who will have to pay more.

"It's almost as if they're making it impossible for the small business person to survive," said Kim Gillette, general manager of the locally owned Olde World Restaurant on U.S. 41.

Many of the businesses that will see the biggest fee increases have out-of-town ownership.

Home Depot could see its road and drainage bill go from $5,833 to $31,622, and the Sonic fast food restaurant will be billed thousands more. They did not return calls seeking comment.

So far, the commission has not heard complaints from these businesses about the tax increase.

"We don't comment in public on such matters," wrote Home Depot spokesman Don Harrison, in an e-mail.

While setting the not-to-exceed rates today, the commission is still looking at ways to cut the bill for people who own acreage.

One possibility is cutting services in some areas and then charging those areas less.

"This is legally defensible, whereas before we did not have a fact-based system to establish the rates," said Commissioner Fred Tower. "And this is fact-based. Is it a fact that everybody will accept? No."

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