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The Supervisor of Elections has requested an increase of $30,087 or 1.7%. This increase is largely due to
<br />increased postage costs along with the implications from SB 524, which will require mass mailings to
<br />citizens that have not voted in the last two years to confirm their contact information, reprinting revised •
<br />secrecy sleeves, training materials, forms, and signage due to a required wording revision. There is also an
<br />additional polling site due to the population growth according to the last decennial census.
<br />A modest increase has been included for the Tax Collector's budget in the General Fund. It is important to
<br />note that this is simply a staff estimate as the Tax Collector's budget is not due until August 111
<br />The Property Appraiser has requested an increase of $296,724 or 7.3% for the County funded portion of
<br />the budget. General Fund dollars support the bulk of the Property Appraiser's budget, and the General
<br />Fund impact is an increase of $244,450 or 7.2%. The budget request includes funding for employee raises.
<br />The BCC departmental funding amount reflects an increase of $1,279,706 or 5.7%. There is an increase of
<br />seven full-time positions in various departments including Emergency Management (1), Parks (1), Human
<br />Services (2), Conservation Lands (1), and Animal Control (2). The two (2) Human Services position increases
<br />are intended to help prepare for the anticipated increase in funding for Children's Services agencies in FY
<br />2023/24. A significant amount of preparation will be required to increase objective performance measures
<br />and ongoing monitoring of funded agencies. It should be noted that the County will be taking one of these
<br />two positions in-house that has been provided through a contract with the Health Department, so the
<br />funding impact and total staffing for this function is only increasing by one position.
<br />Recommended State agency budgets total $4,293,295, which is an increase of $419,406 or 10.8%. This is
<br />principally due a $72,293 or 32.1% increase in the Circuit Court Expenses, a $127,177 or 25.0% increase in
<br />the Department of Juvenile Justice, and a $228,586 or 47.1% increase in the Medical Examiner's request.
<br />In addition, the Court Technology Fund and Court Innovation Fund which was intended to cover Court •
<br />Administration expenses, again cannot support these expenses. A total of $297,585 for the Court
<br />Administrator's budget request is being funded from the General Fund.
<br />Municipal Service Taxing Unit (M.S.T.U.) Fund
<br />The M.S.T.U. recommended budget is $44,259,621, an increase of $4,458,739, or 11.2% (pages 23-24).
<br />Transfers out to the Transportation Fund are increasing by $1,258,002 and transfers for Law
<br />Enforcement are increasing by $3,114,751. As transfers out comprise 79.1% of the M.S.T.U. expense
<br />budget, any change causes a significant impact on the total fund budget.
<br />A summary of major factors impacting the M.S.T.U. Fund are shown below:
<br />• Ad valorem tax roll —14.4% increase, generating $1,787,082 in additional revenue, assuming 95%
<br />collections at proposed millage rate.
<br />• Millage rate — 1.1506, no change from last fiscal year.
<br />• Transfers Out - $7,560,502 to fund transportation; $27,447,098 to fund law enforcement.
<br />• Net increase of 2 full-time positions — Planning Assistant II and Senior Planner
<br />A Senior Planner is needed to expedite applicants being processed through local housing programs and to
<br />oversee implementation of the County's Neighborhood Plans. In addition, a Planning Assistant II is needed •
<br />to support planning staff and complete administrative tasks. These positions will cost County Planning
<br />$143,211. Various improvements are also budgeted at the Recreational Facilities including exterior
<br />painting, door replacements, epoxy flooring, deck furniture replacement, and pressure washing totaling
<br />$145,365.
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