The MSTBU Office understands that you may have questions about starting a unit, what happens after the unit has been started or what resources available to learn more about the process. Below you will find answers to many of these questions.
Q: What is an MSTU or MSBU?
A:
Many of Lee County's expenses are paid for by "Taxing Authorities." An
MSTU or MSBU is a type of Taxing Authority, which has its own budget for both
revenues and expenses. This budget is approved at a public hearing.
Property
owners in unincorporated Lee County who wish to implement special services or
improvement projects to their neighborhood or community may petition the Board
of County Commissioners to create a Municipal Service Taxing/Benefit Unit
(MSTBU). There are two general categories of MSTBUs:
- Operation & Maintenance Projects (O&M) - An O&M project is ongoing and has its own budget for both revenues and expenses. This budget is determined by a volunteer committee of property owners in coordination with the MSTBU Coordinator and approved annually at a public hearing. O&M Projects typically cover services such as maintenance of roads, signs landscaping, irrigation, lighting, or ponds/lakes, canal dredging and channel marker maintenance. O&M Projects are also referred to as Special Improvement Units (SIU).
- Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) - A CIP project is a one-time only project. The final cost of a CIP project is determined upon completion. The property owner has the choice to pay it off all at once or pay it back over a period of time. These types of projects typically cover services such as conversion of roads from dirt to pavement, bridge replacement, canal dredging, and installation of water/sewer systems.
Municipal Service Taxing Units (MSTU) are funded by the collection of ad valorem taxes. Ad valorem taxes are based on the assessed value of the subject property.
Municipal Service Benefit Units (MSBU) are funded by the collection of special assessments or charges. The assessment may be applied in a variety of ways: per linear foot of road frontage, per parcel or lot, per
STRAP number.
Q: Where can an MSTBU exist?A:
An MSTBU can only be created in the unincorporated areas of Lee County.
Municipalities must provide any services within the incorporated
boundaries of Lee County. The incorporated areas are the
City of Fort Myers,
Town of Fort Myers Beach,
City of Cape Coral,
City of Sanibel,
City of Bonita Springs, and the
Village of Estero.
Q: Are there any restrictions in the unincorporated areas of Lee County?A: Yes. Property owned by a single entity are excluded from forming a Taxing Authority through the MSTBU Office. Dredging of publicly accessible canals are excluded from this restriction.
Q: How is an MSTBU created?
A: An MSTBU is a joint effort between the local community and the County. Detailed information can be found in Administrative Code AC 3-15 and in the instruction sheets found on the MSTBU Forms page.
Community responsibilities:
- Define the services to be provided and the area to be included in the unit.
- Obtain signatures of 50%
+ 1 (majority) of the property owners on an informal petition. (This petition does not commit the property owners to the project. It is used to
gather unit cost information.)
- Once the County provides the formal petition noted below: obtain signatures of 50% + 1 of the property owners, notarize and return the formal petition to the MSTBU office. (This petition is a commitment by the property owners to pay the assessment.)
County responsibilities:
- Hire an engineer to develop a cost estimate.
- Prepare a budget and a formal petition. The formal petition states
the cost to the property owners.
- Once the formal petition is returned to the MSTBU office, all owners and signatures will be verified.
- Request the Board of County Commissioners to form the requested unit.
- Manage the project/unit once it has been approved.
Q: Where can I get information on the procedures to set up an MSTBU?A: Visit our MSTBU Forms page or call 239-533-2308.
Q: Are there fees associated with the management of an MSTBU?
A: Yes. All units are charged an administrative fee. Fees are reviewed annually and will fluctuate based on the complexity of the unit and scope of services being provided.
Q: Who controls the budget?A:
Ultimately, the County has responsibility for the budget. However Operation and Maintenance Units (O&M) may form a
volunteer committee of five (5) property owners to
monitor and advise the County. Further information about MSTBU Committee responsibilities can be found in Administrative Code AC 2-1.
Q: Is there a limit as to what can be charged?
A: Yes. Florida statutes allow for a MSTBU millage cap of 10 mills ($10 per $1,000 assessed value).
Q: What happens if the MSTBU, overspends its budget for O&M units?
A:
This will not happen. Once the budget has
been spent, no more purchase orders can be written. A reserve fund must be a part of the budget. This reserve can be used for
emergencies, such as hurricane or tornado damage.
Q: What happens if all of the taxes collected are not spent?
A: Any unspent taxes will be carried over to the next year's budget. All funds collected by an MSTBU stays within that MSTBU.
Q: Can the budget be modified during the year?
A:
The amount of taxes collected cannot be changed once it has been
approved by the Board of County Commissioners at a public hearing.
However, funds can be moved from one line item to another within the unit's budget.
Q: Does everyone pay the same amount?
A:
There are several methods of collecting assessments. In some instances,
everyone will pay an equal portion. In other instances, a property
owner will pay proportionally to the benefit he or she is receiving.
Q: I can't afford the MSTBU assessments. Are there any programs to help me?A. Yes. Lee County offers three financial support programs related to MSTBUs:
Q. How can I find out if a property is part of an MSTBU?A. An interactive,
searchable GIS (Geographic Information System) map is available that shows all active Lee County MSTBUs