There will be no reduction in the number of police officers or firefighters in Coral Springs this year, and all parks and recreational facilities will remain open, said City Manager Mike Levinson .

“2008 was a difficult year to get by,’” Levinson said, presenting the State of the City 2008 report at Coral Springs Center for the Arts last week. The city’s volunteers and members of different committees were recognized at the event that also featured performances by saxophonist Markus Howell and the Ramblewood Middle School jazz band.

“We managed to cope with the harsh realities last year,” Levinson said. “The city managed to lower your tax rate by 13 percent. We were able to do more with less. 2009 is shaping up to be an even more challenging year but we will maintain our central services.”

Mayor Scott Brook was also gung-ho about the city’s future. “We have some challenges ahead of us, but we also have a team like no other city has. We have volunteers like no other city has. In terms of success and level of commitment, this year will be no different from last year when we faced challenges but came through with flying colors.”

According to the state of the city report, the city will undertake 35 new initiatives this fiscal year. Since 2002, the city has decreased its tax rate by 21 percent; the average tax bill for a homesteaded property owner has decreased by $153 in the last two years. The city’s fire assessment fee is among the lowest in the county at $104.25 while it has the lowest solid waste rate of large cities in the county.