06-02-2009, 08:24 PM
The start of The Metropolitian Broward County Public Saftey Dept. and the demise of BSO. Heres what the commission started, thank God.
2009
This week's developments in Lamberti versus the County Commission
> Posted by Scott Wyman on June 2, 2009 11:33 AM
Another week, another maneuver in the budget battle between Sheriff Al Lamberti and county commissioners.
Commissioners want their lawyers to explore whether they have the power to reject the Sheriff’s Office’s deals to provide police and fire protection in some cities or some authority to force the cities to pay their fair share.
County auditors allege that cities with their own police and fire departments are subsidizing $14.4 million of the cost for the same services in neighboring communities that contract with the Broward Sheriff's Office. According to the auditors' review, none of the 14 cities that contract with the sheriff for police services shoulder the full burden of their deal, nor do any of the six communities that contract with the agency for fire protection.
“I look at another city in my district, Coconut Creek,” Commissioner Kristin Jacobs said during Tuesday’s board meeting. “Wouldn’t they love to have this kind of help from us?”
Commissioners Ilene Lieberman and John Rodstrom raised concerns that the county could be in violation to 30 years of court rulings that countywide tax collections cannot be used to finance services in only one area. Lieberman noted that the county had paid an $8 million judgment several years ago.
“We have a liability and have to be very careful,” Rodstrom said.
County Attorney Jeff Newton said his staff is researching the county’s legal options on forcing an end to the subsidies and expects to report back before the end of June.
The charges have become one of the main issues in the growing feud between Sheriff Al Lamberti and county commissioners over how much he should cut spending this year. Lamberti has told commissioners that he agrees some cities are not paying enough for their services, but he and leaders of those cities dispute parts of the auditors' review.
2009
This week's developments in Lamberti versus the County Commission
> Posted by Scott Wyman on June 2, 2009 11:33 AM
Another week, another maneuver in the budget battle between Sheriff Al Lamberti and county commissioners.
Commissioners want their lawyers to explore whether they have the power to reject the Sheriff’s Office’s deals to provide police and fire protection in some cities or some authority to force the cities to pay their fair share.
County auditors allege that cities with their own police and fire departments are subsidizing $14.4 million of the cost for the same services in neighboring communities that contract with the Broward Sheriff's Office. According to the auditors' review, none of the 14 cities that contract with the sheriff for police services shoulder the full burden of their deal, nor do any of the six communities that contract with the agency for fire protection.
“I look at another city in my district, Coconut Creek,” Commissioner Kristin Jacobs said during Tuesday’s board meeting. “Wouldn’t they love to have this kind of help from us?”
Commissioners Ilene Lieberman and John Rodstrom raised concerns that the county could be in violation to 30 years of court rulings that countywide tax collections cannot be used to finance services in only one area. Lieberman noted that the county had paid an $8 million judgment several years ago.
“We have a liability and have to be very careful,” Rodstrom said.
County Attorney Jeff Newton said his staff is researching the county’s legal options on forcing an end to the subsidies and expects to report back before the end of June.
The charges have become one of the main issues in the growing feud between Sheriff Al Lamberti and county commissioners over how much he should cut spending this year. Lamberti has told commissioners that he agrees some cities are not paying enough for their services, but he and leaders of those cities dispute parts of the auditors' review.