2019 Budget Season Kicks off with June 12 Workshop

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The proposed county budget for FY 2019 will be presented at the June 12 BCC workshop at 6:00PM.

Usually, the powerpoint presentation for the meeting is available along with the budget package a week before the meeting, but this year it is not, so we will have to wait for additional details.

It is a budget not unlike the last few years, with flat millage (with rising valuations), 3% COLA increases across the board and a tax increase over the previous year just shy of 6%.

Some items of interest:

1. Valuations are estimated at about $187B, up about 5.7% over  a year ago.
2. With flat millage (4.7815), this valuation will generate $894.8M in ad-valorem taxes, up $49.2M (5.8%) over last year.
3. There will be 81 new BCC funded positions.
4. General Fund reserves are being increased to $128M, 9.2% of general fund revenues (was $107M, so up 19% over last year)
5. A 3% COLA for all BCC employees will cost $6.5M.  This is the fifth year in a row – a 16% across-the-board raise over 5 years.
6. The Sheriff will see a $31M increase, which is a net $25.8M (+4.7%) considering carry-forwards and increased revenue.
7. The Inspector General will see an increase of 4 positions next year, with 6 more over the following two years.  The IG is funded now about 2/3 by the county – municipalities and others kick in about $1M.
8. Library and Fire/Rescue will also see flat millage, yielding increases of $2.7M and $13.4M respectively.

Two fairly unusual things jumped out at us from the department level detail, that are not explained in the meeting package or anywhere on the county website. A call to the Budget Office cleared them up:

The supervisor of elections, which has had a flat budget in the $10M range over the last 5 years is jumping up to $22M – a $142% increase.  There is not any noticeable increase is staff, so we assumed it must be for equipment or other needs.  Robyn Lawrence, Assistant Budget Director explained that the $12M is for scanners, modems and other equipment upgrades.

Likewise, an unexplained change is occurring in the Tax Collector’s budget – a $5.5M decrease from $14.5M down to $9M. This reflects money allocated for a facility being recast as capital spending.