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By: Sharon Aron Baron

Since publishing news of the $77 million bond vote, Coral Springs residents have been sounding-off about it on social media.

In December, the city commission voted to hold a special election on March 13, 2018 at a cost of $190,000 to make much-needed improvements to the city. The bond items will be divided on the ballot as three separate questions where voters can then decide to vote ‘for’ or ‘against’.

Public Safety

Public Safety & Public Works Campus $18,500,000
Fire Station 64 Reconstruction $4,000,000
License Plate Readers $1,600,000
Tactical Training Facility $1,500,0002
Emergency Traffic Signals $700,000
Project Costs $26,300,000
Bond Issuance Cost(4%) $1,052,000
Total Public Safety Funding $27,352,000

Parks and Recreation

Parks Artificial Turf Fields (8) $8,000,000
Aquatic Complex $5,600,000
Senior Center 10,000 sq/ft $5,000,000
Parks and Recreation Lighting $3,400,000
Amphitheater / Splash Pad $2,000,000
Mullins Park – New American League Building $1,000,000
Project Costs $25,000,000
Bond Issuance Cost(4%) $1,000,000
Total Public Safety Funding $26,000,000

Streets and Drainage

Road Resurfacing $13,250,000
Westchester Drainage $5,000,000
Corporate Park Drainage $4,300,000
Meadows and Dells Drainage $1,000,000
Project Costs $23,550,000
Bond Issuance Cost (4%) $942,000
Total Public Safety Funding $24,492,000

If approved, the bonds would be paid off in 20 years.

Last September, property taxes increased to 5.87 percent from 4.80 percent. Originally, the city wanted to increase taxes to 6.05 percent, which would have funded some of the improvements that are now on the bond items, however, that failed and a compromise for 5.87 percent was reached. The bond vote, scheduled just months after a tax increase, has residents weighing in:

“I feel bad for the public works department getting lumped in the bond. They need a new building. The steel building they are in is not hurricane rated. Yes to roads and drainage.” – Ian Chin-Loy

“I’m all for improvements but i already pay $6,000 in property taxes and I don’t own a mansion.. so I will be voting no. They should of used the money they spent on the parking garage instead of asking for more from strapped residents,” – Lynnette Mohammed

“Dear Coral Springs, our parks our deplorable compared to all neighboring cities. Have you even seen the condition of the playgrounds. New artificial turf is nice and all, but how about upgrading the playgrounds for our children.” – Lee Gabe

“The fire dept facility is still brand new according to FDNY standards and completely unnecessary. A police tactical training facility is not necessary either, wherein they can rent and utilize the bounty of leasable commercial space in the city which there is plenty available. There is the Carnahan Proctor building in Margate currently being used for the same. Many other cities use it as well and we don’t need a brand new building to “play cops and robbers” in at the cost of millions for Coral Springs. Use the one in Margate. The roads and drainage, yes.” – Joe Hink

“I’m really looking forward to voting NO! What kind of idiot wants to put astroturf or field turf on fields in Florida! Are the trying to bake our kids or something? Love our cops and firemen but there’s room to cut fat at city hall. Hire an outside consultant to a zero based budget!” – Casey Ahlbum

“The improvements will be collecting more money from its residents because they spent all our tax money on their new multi million dollar building with a state of the art gym in it. They should have been doing improvements to this city a long time ago!! That would have increased property values a lot more than a new building for them. That would have made too much common sense though.” – Liliana Albarino-Olinick

“Let me see if I get this straight,,, $5.6 million for that POS aquatic center that doesn’t get used,,, $8 mill for astro turf,,,, IN FLORIDA????? What are license place readers for? to give us more tickets? Since when does our city need its own tactical training for Fire academy? What have we been doing up until now? This is so typical,,,, I am voting no! $400- $500 tax increase in 2 years. No thanks.” – Ric Friedberg

“I will be voting yes, the difference between Coral Springs and other communities is the fact we have a great police, fire and park system. It make a huge difference when you buy or sell a home here, it make a big difference for my grand children. I actually feel safer here and love the parks here more than any other community I have lived. As a Coral Springs resident I want the best city government services we can get. I guess I will be good with a small increase daily to have our top-notch PD,FD and parks.” – Steve Eagle

“Coral Springs should leave the grass sports fields alone. Grass is the safest and healthiest choice for our children to play on. Artificial turf has been shown to contain many toxins, including lead. It also becomes extremely hot in the sun. Why spend millions on fake grass?” – Stacy Sanders Shaup

“Another million for Meadows and Dells drainage really? How many millions have been spent on that in the last 12 years, between city money and grants? Serious question that I would like an answer to.” – Barbara Boyce Lafaman

“Yes. Our city is old and dated. If we want to retain capable taxpayers and attract new ones the city needs to be updated.” – Kenny Valentine

“I like most of the proposals, can live with the rest. Now isn’t the time for it though. We just passed a big tax increase and obviously there is a big number of residents that don’t like how things are going with the city hall building, that isn’t even finished yet. I’ll definitely vote no.” – Simon Koblenski

“If we can pick and choose which one to say no to, say no to the fire academy one. All I hear is how amazing they are and the awards they win. They should look for the money else where if they need improvements. I did a CPR training in the building and it was pretty amazing a year ago.” – Carli Suarez

If residents vote for all three items, according to the Sun Sentinel, they would see a $175.37 increase on top of their property taxes to repay the bond based on a $260,000 home, after a $50,000 homestead exemption.

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Sharon Aron Baron

Editor of Talk Media and writer for Coral Springs Talk. CST was created in 2012 to provide News, Views, and Entertainment for the residents of Coral Springs and the rest of South Florida.