9/8/1993 - Laserfiche WebLink

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M M M Chairman Bird pointed out that the 15 positions in Utilities and other enterprise accounts are not funded by ad valorem tax, and Administrator Chandler emphasized that there will be no increase in rates in either of those areas. Chairman Bird thought it was important to point out that these budget figures include a proposed 2 percent cost of living increase for existing county employees. Only employees that fall under the jurisdiction of the County Commission will be affected by a decision of the Board regarding that salary increase, but the constitutional officers have followed the Board's lead in the past as far as giving raises or not, and they have indicated that they would do so again. Administrator Chandler stated that the 2 percent salary increase contingency for employees under the Board's jurisdiction is $322,000. That plus salary increases for constitutional officers' employees would total $721,000. Chairman Bird stated that the Board has the option of making cuts either by identifying particular areas and directing staff to handle the cuts, or decide on a lump sum and direct staff to recommend alternative areas; we have done it both ways in the past. Commissioner Adams agreed that there is a need for cuts. The public has indicated that there is a point at which government becomes too expensive. Some people have reached a breaking point and cannot afford it anymore. We have to make priorities because we cannot provide all the services we have been asked to provide at the levels we feel are necessary. We must either prioritize or make across-the-board cuts. Even if we get the millage down, we are still faced with increased assessments. We have no control over assessments, we have no power over the Property Appraiser, and the state did that so that he could be independent. Some people spoke of 20, 30, 40 percent increases in appraised value. Commissioner Adams reported that there are homes in Fellsmere where assessments were increased to a point that they no longer are affordable housing. We keep taxing them out of the affordable housing. The Board must be accountable and we must cut the budget. We cannot do everything for everybody, and taxpayers cannot pay for everything we request. Unless there are blatant places to cut -- staff did a great job cutting out $3 million before the Board looked at it and the Board cut some more -- obviously we need to pick a percentage figure and do an across-the-board cut. The department heads would be responsible to choose what they can live without for next fiscal year. Commissioner Macht thought that an across-the-board cut is very easy and very popular but not very responsible. Some 19 BOOK 90 PAGE 487