[ PRINT ]

2019 Budget Season Kicks off with June 12 Workshop


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.

The first budget workshop for the 2019 budget will be held on Tuesday, June 12 at 6PM in the BCC chambers,
301 N. Olive Street, 6th floor.

Links:

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.

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