FY-2010 Budget: Speak Now or Forever…

By Commissioner Jeff Koons

As expected, preparing next year’s county budget has been one of our most difficult challenges ever. Time and again our staff was sent back to make more cuts and/or find new sources of revenue. But no matter how many times the numbers were crunched, we kept coming back to the same conclusions: We were going to have to lay some people off, leave vacant positions unfilled, grant no pay raises, and reduce some less critically needed services. We also used one-time funding resources to pay for some ongoing costs.

I’m pleased that our staff came up with a couple of never-before-used strategies to help ease the pinch. Approximately 70 long-time employees accepted an early retirement offer, and boaters will be helping to pay for boat ramp construction and maintenance via a new trailer parking fee.  I think $35 per year is reasonable for the privilege of using our excellent county facilities, and it’s less than half the original recommended amount.

In July, the Board of County Commissioners tentatively agreed with our county administrator’s recommendation to raise the property tax rate from 3.7811 to 4.3440 mills. Notice I said “tentatively.” The final tax rate can be lower, but not higher, than 4.3440 mills, and I expect a substantial amount of discussion before we settle on a final figure.

Keep in mind an increase in the millage rate does not mean a budget increase, and it does not necessarily mean your tax bill will be higher. That depends on several factors, including whether property values go up. The millage rate we tentatively approved is the rollback rate, the break-even point to collect the same amount of property tax revenue next year as this year.

As the FY-2010 budget cycle heads into its final stages, there are many tough choices still to make. That’s why it is so important for you to attend one or both of our upcoming budget public hearings: September 8 (preliminary adoption) and September 21 (final adoption). Both hearings will begin at 6 p.m. in the commission chambers on the sixth floor of the County Governmental Center. If you can’t attend both hearings, please try to attend the first one on September 8. Historically, this is the hearing where the board gives final direction to staff on what to keep and what to cut.

If there is a particular county program or service that’s important to you, please tell us – it makes a difference. A few years ago, for example, a series of cuts had been tentatively recommended for the Cooperative Extension Service. A wave of supporters came out to our first public hearing, and there were so many people we had to set up chairs in the lobby. They passionately pleaded to keep their gardening, landscaping and 4-H youth programs intact. After several hours of comments and discussion, we did some juggling and kept Cooperative Extension fully funded. But it would not have happened without that strong showing of support.

Again, the budget public hearings are Tuesday, September 8 and Monday, September 21 at 6 p.m. If you cannot attend in person, you can watch the proceedings live via our Channel 20 Web link at pbcgov.org. You may also review archived budget workshops and staff reports by clicking on the “Proposed Budget FY 2010” link on our home page. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions. Please feel free to contact me or my staff at 355-2202.