A new police headquarters, better parks and higher sea walls are in Hollywood’s future, thanks to voters who approved a $165 million borrowing plan Tuesday.
Hollywood split the ballot into three questions: $73 million for the new four-story police station and $5 million in fire equipment; $64 million for parks and gold course improvements; and $23 million for sea walls and other neighborhood improvements.
Resident Jimmy Palermo was one of fewer than 10,000 people to show up at the polls Tuesday.
He voted yes on the $23 million infrastructure bond but no on the other two, he said.
“I already pay $5,000 in property taxes every year,” Palermo said. “They need to find money somewhere else — not my property taxes.”
Mayor Josh Levy has an answer for that.
“These large capital projects can hardly ever be financed on a pay-as-you-go basis,” he said. “We’re running a government. We’re not running a business.”
Resident James Stokes said he voted for the parks bond but rejected the other two.
“I love the parks,” he said. “But I don’t know why they need to raise taxes. I just don’t trust people handling that kind of money.”
Hollywood plans to set up a 15-member oversight board charged with making sure the money is not misspent.
The bonds will be paid off over the next 25 years.
If Hollywood borrows the entire $165 million bond, taxpayers will pay an extra $100 million in interest over the course of the 25-year loan.
The city spent $240,000 on the special election plus another $160,000 on an education campaign.