Commission gives the gift of GOODBYE to BSO Lab

Thank You Sheriff Al. The Broward County Commission just voted to do away with the BSO Crime Lab and use FDLE's labs. They can save 4.6 million a year and a one time capital outlay of 4.1 million. We are losing the Port, airport, courthouse,Pompano Beach, stockade and possibly the jails.
What next? When will it stop? Will we be an agency of a few that serves process?

Thank You Sheriff Al. The Broward County Commission just voted to do away with the BSO Crime Lab and use FDLE's labs. They can save 4.6 million a year and a one time capital outlay of 4.1 million. We are losing the Port, airport, courthouse,Pompano Beach, stockade and possibly the jails.
What next? When will it stop? Will we be an agency of a few that serves process?

I do not know where you saw that, but I did see where grant money was coming into the Crime Lab. Anyway, the below link is the suggested budget and from what it looks like the Sheriff is cutting quite a few positions - even gas money is going down (does that mean the deputies don't have to pay anymore?).

Here is the link:
http://www.broward.org/budget/fy2010...e_document.pdf

Broward Administrator Submits 2010 Recommended Budget

Broward County Administrator Bertha Henry submitted the 2010 Recommended Budget to the Board of County Commissioners for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2009 on July 15. The proposed $3.37 billion budget includes a total countywide millage rate for operations and capital of 5.2163 compared to this year's 4.8889, an increase of 6.7 percent. This increase is expected to be mitigated by additional cuts by the Sheriff. Despite the higher millage rate, $42.7 million less in property taxes will be generated compared to this year due to declining property values.

The County's budget includes a $1 billion General Fund, which is the portion of the County's budget primarily funded by property taxes and supports services such as parks, libraries, human services and mass transit. It also funds three of Broward's constitutional officers – the Sheriff, Property Appraiser and Supervisor of Elections, with the Sheriff's Office representing 50 percent of the overall budget.

“This has been an extremely difficult budget process for everyone involved,” said Henry. “There are still many more difficult decisions ahead. The overall recommended budget reflects a decrease of $250 million compared to this year's budget and a reduction in the workforce of 523 positions.”

The general fund portion of the budget includes reductions of approximately 10 percent overall for County operations, the Property Appraiser and the Supervisor of Elections. The Sheriff's budget remains flat compared to fiscal year 2009; approximately $46 million in Sheriff's Office reductions would be necessary to avoid an increase in the millage rate.

With a 5.2163 millage rate, the average long-term homestead property owner would pay approximately $37 more in property taxes than last year, the average short-term homestead property owner would save $213 and the average non-homestead property owner would save $158.

According to Budget Director Kayla Olsen, “In addition to continued operational consolidations, some of the most significant reductions for County services include closing libraries on Sundays, closing most regional parks on Wednesdays, eliminating non-mandated funding to Tri-Rail, and reducing funding for children services provided by non-profit organizations, primary care services and cultural grants. The recommended budget also includes, as a reduction, the value of a five-day furlough for County Commission employees.”

Two public hearings will be held prior to the adoption of a final budget. The public hearings are scheduled for September 10 and 22, 2009 at 5:01 p.m. at the Broward County Governmental Center, 115 S. Andrews Avenue, Room 422, Fort Lauderdale. The public is encouraged to attend.

The 2010 Recommended Budget can be viewed on the County's Web site at www.broward.org/2010budget. The Recommended Budget Transmittal Letter from Bertha Henry and the list of County Commission budget reductions by department is also available on-line.

For more information visit the 2010 budget Web site.