Alachua County Commission discusses NW 83rd St., data centers, and the budget

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – At two special meetings on June 2, the Alachua County Commission learned that NW 83rd Street will be paved in 2027 and discussed data centers and potential changes to the budget if a constitutional amendment to limit property taxes on homesteaded properties is approved by the voters.

Changes to road paving plan

During a discussion about the County’s capital budget in the morning session, Public Works Director Ramon Gavarrete proposed moving the repaving of NW 83rd Street to the upcoming fiscal year. Gavarrete also said that all the roads around the Kincaid Loop, including SE 15th Street, will be paved next year if the board approved the proposed changes. The board approved the changes 4-0, with Commissioner Mary Alford participating virtually but not voting.

Data centers

At the end of the morning meeting, Chair Ken Cornell said he would like to have a special meeting to hear from the public about data centers, “and then staff can incorporate the things that they hear and bring back a recommendation.”

Commissioner Anna Prizzia said she didn’t think that was necessary because “literally, under our current Comprehensive Plan, it’s not possible to build a data center right now,” and Cornell responded that he thought the community wanted to have a chance to speak about the issue. Prizzia said she thought the communications staff should get the message out that data centers can’t be built in Alachua County. 

Prizzia said, “I don’t want to be yelled at about data centers when we’re not building a data center… I think advertising a meeting about data centers is going to make them think that there’s a chance that we’re building a data center when there is no chance… I’d rather communicate that we don’t have an intention to build one.”

Communications Director Mark Sexton said he would recommend a “thorough discussion” with legal staff and Growth Management to make sure the messaging is accurate before making any statements.

Prizzia said she understood that Sexton is “always abundantly cautious,… but I think there is a pathway where we can come up with simple language that says we have a Comprehensive Plan and a land use development set of rules and regulations,… and under those current rules, there is not a pathway, without a Planned Development that would come before the Commission for rezoning approval, that a data center could be built.”

At Cornell’s request, Prizzia made a motion to refer the topic to the Communications, Legal, and Growth Management staff to come up with a campaign to communicate information about data centers. The motion passed 4-0.

Proposed property tax reduction leads to uncertainty in budgeting process

During a discussion in the afternoon meeting about budget policies, Assistant County Manager Tommy Crosby said that if the constitutional amendment to reduce property taxes on homesteaded properties passes, the County “may be charging a lot more fees, to the maximum that we’re allowed to charge fees. We don’t know what’s coming, but I will tell you that we are preparing to take on what’s coming, whatever that approach is.”

Cornell asked whether Crosby was still building the budget under the rolled-back rate (the rate that would generate the same amount of property tax revenue as the previous year, given the increase in property values), and Crosby said they were originally doing that, but that may change because “I would not recommend that in this environment, not knowing what you will have to do next year or the year after that.” He said they were planning on a slight reduction in the millage, with potential cuts identified if the board wants to go to the rolled-back rate. He warned, however, that if they did that, “all the low-hanging fruit has been gotten, and then [if the constitutional amendment passes] we are talking about deep cuts unless we start increasing the millage again substantially.” 

Cornell said he still thought it was important to get down to the rolled-back rate and to communicate that intent to the public as they decide whether to vote for the constitutional amendment. He said, “The state is going to be putting something on the ballot that’s going to be asking the citizens, ‘Do you value your services that local government provides?’ This board has always taken, since I’ve been on it, an approach that we are taking the money from our citizens and, as efficiently and effectively as possible, trying to deliver services that are not only statutorily required but that reflect the values of our local community… So I thought it was important that we, at least locally, try to do the rolled-back rate during this year, for that reason.”

Crosby said staff would be prepared to explain the impacts of the proposed constitutional amendment at the board’s June 9 meeting. 

Sexton, who had been posting information about Alachua County’s budget on social media during the legislature’s special session, said, “Just so you know, at this point,… I’m no longer involved in educating or advocating for this, so don’t be surprised that you’re not seeing anything else on our social media sites.”