Lake Wales

It is home not only to J.D. Alexander, the powerful chairman of the Senate Budget Committee whose run in the state government will end Nov. 6, but also the 2012 state championship boys basketball team.

Incorporated: 1917

Size: 19 square miles

Population: 13,100

Website: http://www.cityoflakewales.com/

Government: The City Commission has five members. The city manager is appointed by the commission. The mayor is elected annually from members of the commission not up for re-election. Commissioners are elected to four-year terms on a rotating basis. They are paid $378.23 a month. The commission meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month.

City Commission: Mayor Michael Carter, 863-679-9725; Commissioners Jonathan Thornhill, 863-604-8556; John Paul Rogers, 863-676-6764; Betty Wojcik, 863-318-1233 and Terrye Howell, 863-676-6284.

Budget: $38.3 million

Property tax rate: $7.33 for each $1,000 of taxable value.

City Manager: Terry Leary 863-678-4182, ext. 225

City Hall: 201 W. Central Ave. 863-678-4182, www.cityoflakewales.com

Police Department: 863-678-4223, lwpd.cityoflakewales.com

Fire Department: 863-678-4203, www.cityoflakewales.com/lwfd

Electric: Florida Power Corp., 800-700-8744

Street Department: 863-678-4182, ext. 270

Garbage, trash pickup: 863-678-4182, ext. 276

Water and sewer: After-hours Emergency: 863-632-2349; customer service, 863-678-4196; billing, 863-678-4197

Utilities administration: 863-678-4182, ext. 294

Public library: 290 Cypress Gardens Lane, 863-678-4004, www.cityoflakewales.com/library

Depot Museum: 325 S. Scenic Highway, 863-678-4209, www.cityoflakewales.com/depot

Airport: 450 S. Airport Road, 863-678-0080, www.cityoflakewales.com/airport or www.lakewalesairport.net

Bus: Greyhound Bus Line, 800-231-2222

Taxi: Lake Wales Cab Co., 863-676-1089

Recreation: Lake Wales YMCA, James P. Austin Community Center, Albert Kirkland Gymnasium and 150 acres of municipal parks.

Public schools: Lake Wales High School, Bok Middle Academy and Babson Park, Polk Avenue, Janie Howard Wilson and Hillcrest elementary schools operated by the Lake Wales Charter School System. McLaughlin Middle School, Roosevelt Academy and Spook Hill Elementary operated by the Polk County School District.

Chamber of Commerce: 340 Central Ave. W 863-676-3445, www.lakewaleschamber.com