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similar amount of taxes may have several children in public schools. While the two groups of <br /> taxpayers in this scenario paid the same amount, they are not receiving the same benefit. <br /> For the reasons stated above, staff is typically reluctant to perform an analysis of the dollar amount of <br /> government services provided to any one taxpayer or group of taxpayers. These exercises have <br /> limitations and it is inherently divisive and unproductive to attempt making distinctions between the <br /> benefits received by different individuals or neighborhoods within the County. However, staff has <br /> developed the attached analysis in an effort to address the concern that Gifford may not be receiving <br /> a fair level of service from the County. <br /> Analysis and Methodology <br /> Staff has prepared the attached analyeis to estimate the amount of County expenses benefitting the <br /> Gifford neighborhood. This analysis is based upon the fiscal year 2013/14 budget. Where possible, <br /> expenses have been assigned based upon a metric that indicates the usage of such services. For <br /> example, the transit system expenses were allocated based upon the number of boardings and <br /> alightings within Gifford. According to a survey of Go-Line ridership activity from 2012, an average of <br /> 6,026 boardings and alightings occur on the Go-Line during a typical weekday. Of those 6,026 <br /> boardings and alightings each day, an average of 753 boardings and alightings occur In Gifford. This <br /> represents 12.5% of boardings and alightings, excluding transfers. Therefore, 12.5% of the expenses <br /> of the transit system were allocated to Gifford for purposes of the analysis. <br /> Fire Rescue expenses were allocated based upon the number of calls for service within Gifford as a <br /> percentage of the total calls for service within the County (excluding the Town of Indian River Shores, <br /> which provides its own Fire Rescue services). For calendar year 2013, Fire Rescue received 1,262 <br /> calls for service in the Gifford area out of 25,923 total calls for service. This represents 4.9% of the <br /> total calls for service. Therefore, 4.9% of Fire Rescue expenses were allocated to Gifford in the <br /> analysis. Staff has requested a breakdown of Sheriff's Office expenses for Gifford, but has not <br /> received this information as of this date. In an effort to provide a timely response, staff has allocated <br /> expenses to the Gifford area based upon the percentage of population. As additional information is <br /> received, the analysis will be updated in the future. <br /> i <br /> In instances where a metric showing the usage of a service was not available, the expenses were <br /> allocated based upon population according to the 2010 census. <br /> The total approved fiscal year 2013/14 budget is $255,107,975. Staff has deducted interfund <br /> transfers and charges (G&A expense, insurance charges, fleet charges)totaling $49,571,228 from the <br /> original amount as these items are counted twice in the total. Such entries need to be removed to <br /> avoid "double counting"expenditures. <br /> Enterprise Fund expenses ($52,795,420) have been deducted from the total budget as well. These <br /> funds (Utilities, Building, and Golf Course) charge user fees to cover expenses and are not funded <br /> from taxes. For example, each Utilities customer is charged the same rate for their water <br /> consumption regardless of their location in the County. Each fund is fully supported by user fees and <br /> there is no contribution from the taxpayers to support these operations. Since the focus of this <br /> analysis is on the expenditure of tax dollars, the Enterprise Fund expenses have been deducted from <br /> the total. <br /> Summary and Conclusion <br /> The analysis (attached) shows that estimated County expenses for services to Gifford total <br /> approximately$11 million. This represents 7,2% of the total budgeted expenses of$152.3 million (as <br /> ` February 27,2014 FABudgetWasoMMISMIfford Expense as Portion of Budget Analysis.doc <br /> 111 <br />