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The Clerk of the Circuit Court has requested a $76,060 or 5.5% increase from the current year's budget.
<br />• The budget request includes a cost of living increase for employees, along with the State -mandated
<br />retirement rate increases. The request also includes 1.55 less full-time positions and an additional 0.695
<br />part-time position.
<br />As previously mentioned, the Sheriff and County staff have agreed to a revised budget of $73,124,805
<br />which is an increase of $5.87 million or 8.7% over the current year's budget. As part of the request,
<br />$1,602,993 in Optional Sales Tax is being used to fund replacement vehicles and eligible capital in the
<br />Sheriff's FY 2023/2024 budget request to further minimize the impact on the ad valorem tax supported
<br />funds. The proposed FY 2023/2024 budget includes a fifth year of funding for 50% of the School Resource
<br />Officers expense. The State continues to not provide adequate funding for this mandate on School
<br />Districts.
<br />The Supervisor of Elections has requested an increase of $422,209 or 24.0%. This request includes
<br />conducting an additional election, the Presidential Preference Primary Election, which occurs every four
<br />years, and accounts for $200,500 of the requested increase. Prices increased for ballot paper, registration
<br />list maintenance forms, postage, software licensing and associated maintenance fees also contributed to
<br />increased costs. With implementation of 5690, all mail ballot requests expired on December 31, 2022, so
<br />the additional cost of notifying voters has also been factored into the budget request.
<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 1"
<br />isThe Property Appraiser has requested an increase of $436,133 or 9.9% 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 $373,944 or 10.2%. The budget request includes funding for employee
<br />raises. The Property Appraiser has requested additional office space to more conveniently service
<br />customers in the northern area of the County. While not reflected in this budget, the County will evaluate
<br />meeting these needs for the Property Appraiser.
<br />The BCC departmental funding amount reflects an increase of $1,626,215 or 6.4%. There is an increase of
<br />eight (8) full-time positions in various departments including County Administration (3), Community
<br />Services (1), Parks (2), Facilities Management (1), and Lagoon (1).
<br />Recommended State agency budgets total $5,128,539, which is an increase of $835,244 or 19.5%. This is
<br />principally due to a $518,622 or 174.3% increase in the Circuit Court expenses, a $72,945 or 5.9% increase
<br />in Medicaid, a $75,217 or 409.1% increase in State Attorney expenses, and an $86,184 or 12.1% increase in
<br />the Medical Examiner's request. The Court Technology Fund and Court Innovation Fund were intended to
<br />cover Court Administration expenses; however, once again these expenses cannot be supported. Thus, a
<br />total of $460,306 for the Court Administrator's and the Guardian Ad Litem's budget request is being
<br />funded from the General Fund.
<br />Municipal Service Taxing Unit (M.S.T.U.) Fund
<br />The M.S.T.U. recommended budget is $49,903,560, an increase of $4,608,322, or 10.2% (pages 25-26).
<br />• Transfers out to the Transportation Fund are increasing by $695,735 and transfers for Law Enforcement
<br />are increasing by $3,276,312. As transfers out comprise 78.1% of the M.S.T.U. expense budget, any change
<br />causes a significant impact on the total fund budget.
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