02-28-2008, 04:00 PM
County to trim $70 million
Next year's budget is foremost on the minds of Santa Rosa County Commissioners after the state's voters approved a property tax cut Jan. 29. So commissioners are wasting no time in trying to figure out where to make cuts. They will begin holding a series of budget workshops March 11.
Santa Rosa County Commission Chair John Broxson told commissioners last week, "The tax payers of the state and Santa Rosa County have made their feeling clear. Due to the Jan. 29 vote, we will be operating with considerably less revenue next year. Our role in this is clear - we need to transition as smoothly as possible to cut
expenses for all our
county departments for next year's budget, which begins Oct. 1. But at the same time, we must try to provide the best levels of service possible."
Broxson said he is afraid taxpayers may be expecting big decreases in their tax bills, due to the cuts the county will be forced to make.
"One reality we must face in all this is the perception of taxpayers that the cutbacks we now have to make will show up as tax relief on their tax bills. But tax payers need to realize that may not happen."
Broxson said the budget just sent to the legislature by the governor might wipe out any tax relief residents might be expecting.
"Many people might be surprised to discover that the governor's proposed budget requires a substantial increase in funding to the schools through local property taxes. This increase alone would wipe out any tax relief from the Jan. 29 vote."
"Because our current commission has not faced a budget reality of this magnitude before, I believe we need to have our staff begin looking at what money we will have to spend right away," Broxson said. "We need to begin serious consideration of next year's budgets as soon as next month."
Commissioner Bob Cole said, "I do not think a lot of citizens understand the cost of unfunded mandates that the county has no choice about funding."
Commissioner Gordon Goodin of Navarre wants to know just how much money the county will really have to work with after those mandates are covered next year. "We have constitutional requirements and contractual requirements to meet. Before we can make any decisions of any kind, we need to know just how much of our money is needed to fulfill the state mandated requirements and the contracts. We need the staff to break down for us exactly where our money has to go before we can decide what else we would like to do."
Commissioner Don Salter pointed out that the actual operating budget of the county this year is $80 million, and next year due to the Jan. 29 vote they will lose between $8 million and $10 million of those funds.
Next year's budget is foremost on the minds of Santa Rosa County Commissioners after the state's voters approved a property tax cut Jan. 29. So commissioners are wasting no time in trying to figure out where to make cuts. They will begin holding a series of budget workshops March 11.
Santa Rosa County Commission Chair John Broxson told commissioners last week, "The tax payers of the state and Santa Rosa County have made their feeling clear. Due to the Jan. 29 vote, we will be operating with considerably less revenue next year. Our role in this is clear - we need to transition as smoothly as possible to cut
expenses for all our
county departments for next year's budget, which begins Oct. 1. But at the same time, we must try to provide the best levels of service possible."
Broxson said he is afraid taxpayers may be expecting big decreases in their tax bills, due to the cuts the county will be forced to make.
"One reality we must face in all this is the perception of taxpayers that the cutbacks we now have to make will show up as tax relief on their tax bills. But tax payers need to realize that may not happen."
Broxson said the budget just sent to the legislature by the governor might wipe out any tax relief residents might be expecting.
"Many people might be surprised to discover that the governor's proposed budget requires a substantial increase in funding to the schools through local property taxes. This increase alone would wipe out any tax relief from the Jan. 29 vote."
"Because our current commission has not faced a budget reality of this magnitude before, I believe we need to have our staff begin looking at what money we will have to spend right away," Broxson said. "We need to begin serious consideration of next year's budgets as soon as next month."
Commissioner Bob Cole said, "I do not think a lot of citizens understand the cost of unfunded mandates that the county has no choice about funding."
Commissioner Gordon Goodin of Navarre wants to know just how much money the county will really have to work with after those mandates are covered next year. "We have constitutional requirements and contractual requirements to meet. Before we can make any decisions of any kind, we need to know just how much of our money is needed to fulfill the state mandated requirements and the contracts. We need the staff to break down for us exactly where our money has to go before we can decide what else we would like to do."
Commissioner Don Salter pointed out that the actual operating budget of the county this year is $80 million, and next year due to the Jan. 29 vote they will lose between $8 million and $10 million of those funds.