Florence council authorizes posting notice of intent to raise property-tax rates; approves consent items including Sun City Phase 2 map

The Florence Town Council on Feb. 18 voted to authorize staff to post a public notice of the town’s intent to increase property-tax rates as part of the 2025 budget process and approved multiple consent agenda items, including formal acceptance of the Sun City Phase 2 map of dedication.

The notice authorization is procedural and does not enact a tax increase, Mayor Eaton said at the meeting: "This is not a decision to increase property taxes at this time, but just a procedural step in the budget process." Finance staff then confirmed the item was a public posting request rather than a final rate decision.

Why it matters: posting the notice begins a public-budget timeline that can lead to later council decisions on tax rates. Residents and council members said they want to be sure staff and the council thoroughly review spending before any final rate changes are proposed.

Council action and votes: The meeting approved the bulk consent agenda items b through f by motion; the council then approved consent item a separately. All votes on the consent items and on authorizing staff to post the notice passed by voice vote with the council recording unanimous "ayes." The council had six members present after the roll call (Mayor Eaton; Vice Mayor Kathy Adams; Council members Neal, Bucielata, Besina and Bedford). The motions did not include a recorded roll-call vote listing individual yes/no votes in the meeting transcript.

Public comments: During the meeting’s call to the public, resident Courtney Ramirez urged the council to "really, really" take a hard look at the town’s budget and identify cost savings before increasing taxes. Ramirez also asked for an update on the Centennial Park extension to Adamsville Road, saying the agenda showed property acquisition and payments under eminent-domain action but no timeline for realizing a second ingress/egress. Paul Felker of the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce used his public-comment time to promote upcoming chamber events and said organizers expected hundreds of cars and vendors at the Memories on Main Car and Bike Show.

Clarifications and follow-up: A council member who moved to approve the Sun City Phase 2 map also asked staff to check and, if necessary, add pedestrian-crosswalk signage on Sun City Boulevard, noting residents had raised safety concerns amid construction traffic. Staff did not provide a construction timeline for the Centennial Park/Adamsville Road work during the meeting; council members asked staff to follow up.

What’s next: Posting the notice begins legally required public notification steps; any final decision to change property-tax rates will come later in the budget cycle and require a separate council action.

Votes at a glance: The transcript records the following formal actions during this portion of the meeting: (1) Motion to approve consent agenda items b–f — outcome: approved (voice vote, unanimous); (2) Motion to approve consent item a (Sun City Phase 2 map of dedication) — outcome: approved (voice vote, unanimous); (3) Motion to authorize staff to post a notice of intent to increase property-tax rates on the town website — outcome: approved (voice vote, unanimous).