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Consultant forecast projects rapid growth for La Plata; council weighs police pension (LEOPS) costs
Summary
Baker Tilly told the council La Plata's population and property tax base could double over coming years; council asked detailed questions about timing, water constraints and staffing. Council moved forward state resolutions to enroll officers in LEOPS despite some fiscal reservations.
A Baker Tilly financial forecast presented to the La Plata Town Council on April 28 projected rapid population and property‑tax base growth tied to the town’s development pipeline but warned that capital needs could erode operating surpluses without careful planning.
Consultant Matt Stark told the council the town’s baseline population (about 12,000) could roughly double by the early‑to‑mid‑2030s based on development assumptions used in the town’s water study and planning pipeline. Stark stressed that scenario forecasts assume the town’s current levy rate and set out sample staffing and capital scenarios: staff needs rising from roughly 67 full‑time equivalents today to about 124 FTEs by 2036, and an illustrative $50 million in capital needs that could add nearly $4 million per year in debt service if financed.
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