9/10/1986 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SEP 10 IbS6 BOOK 65 PAUF 6S7 State of Florida is 48th in all of the United States in what they spend for the indigent, and all that falls back on county government. We can't even get the DOT to come and mow U.S.I. It is hard to deal with this, and we need more people to sit down with us and go through our budget structure and give us some help and support. M. D. Myers, 616 32nd Terrace, advised that he has been a county resident for 16 years and over that time has observed the annual increase in his property taxes. From 1979 through this year, they have increased 85.30, or at an annual rate of 12.190. During this period, the population has increased substantially; so, the base for taxation must have increased rather consider- ably. In addition to fact that the rate of inflation has decreased substantially, and he cannot reconcile these facts with the increase in his taxes. He is extremely weary of hearing that "Taxes must be increased because costs have climbed so far so fast, and it is the only politically feasible thing to do." His philosophy is to find a way to cut costs. -- Mr. Coleman expressed his opinion that the budget can be cut in the fund categorized as Public Safety, which includes many things, as he did not feel we will get a rate of return on half of all that: He explained that -he is not talking about the jail, but people come to the Board about cleaning up the streets, etc. He felt we should cut that as much as possible. Chairman Scurlock advised that we did cut the Sheriff's budget $800,000, and his budget has increased more than 46% over the last five years. Mr. Coleman did not feel the people are getting their money's worth. Commissioner Lyons emphasized that the Board is really caught in a difficult position with the detention facilities. Our crime rate has been increasing so dramatically, we have not be able to forecast it accurately, and to have one full-time guard 24 hours a day, 7 days a week requires five people; the 16 I