Florida's budget crisis to hit Sarasota County & City

[News Flash]

SARASOTA - Community leaders plead with the state legislative delegation to protect them from deep cuts being considered by state government.

Those who addressed the legislators at the Sarasota County Commission chambers received even fewer promises from the stone-faced legislators.

"It's like we're on the Titanic and heading for an iceberg and everyone is asking for coats because they are feeling a chill," State Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, said after the meeting.

Detert said the local leaders do not seem to grasp the enormity of the state budget crisis: Florida is $2 billion short on this year's $66 billion budget and could be another $6 billion short next year.

Nancy Detert said that nothing less than a "radical restructuring" of the government is necessary.

Said Rep. Keith Fitzgerald, D-Sarasota, "I don't think people in the state have come close to grasping where we are."

Asking to merely remain unharmed is an enormous request for a Legislature that has no clue how it will patch its budget with every revenue source in the state on the decline.

"We're going to have to find other types of revenue," said State Rep. Ron Reagan, R-Bradenton. "We have to review the entire tax structure."

But local leaders are growing wary that as the state goes to work it will shift a greater share of the cost of government services to them.

"Be careful of shifting the costs to the local government," said Sarasota city commissioner **** Clapp, who was speaking on behalf of the ManaSota League of Cities.

Sarasota County Administrator Jim Ley said he is already worried that state officials are working to shift as much as another $5 million in Medicare and criminal justice costs to Sarasota County, which itself has made numerous cuts in jobs and services over the past year.

Click here for the full story.

Detert said the local leaders do not seem to grasp the enormity of the state budget crisis: Florida is $2 billion short on this year's $66 billion budget and could be another $6 billion short next year.

That means that the NEXT fiscal year will be even worse then our current fiscal year??? :shock:

Here's a secret photo that was taken of Balkwill while he was planning our budget: