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County Jumps Through More Budget Hoops

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By Carl  Orth | The Suncoast News

Published: September 25, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY, FL - NEW PORT RICHEY, FL - Mere hours away from trying to finalize a very lean county budget, county commissioners had to jump through some more hoops this morning.

Last-minute budget changes took up 42 pages in a report from Michael Nurrenbrock, the county's budget chief.
Commissioners are supposed to finalize a balanced budget at a public hearing 6:30 p.m. tonight in New Port Richey.

The county managed to cut more than $15 million from its general fund budget because of state property tax reforms.

Sheriff Bob White made a last-minute appeal for more funds to hire deputies.

The sheriff circulated a letter yesterday about how fund balances might be higher than Nurrenbrock's estimates, which the budget chief had called "ultra, ultra conservative."

Fund balances essentially are unspent money leftover from the current budget and rolled over into the next budget, which takes effect Oct. 1.

Commissioners at their meeting today declined the sheriff's request.

The county already set aside about $717,000 in a reserve account to hire 10 deputies early in 2008.

Commissioners attached the condition that the reserve money will go to the Sheriff's Office only if the super homestead proposal does not pass. The county might not be able to afford it if super homestead is approved by voters.

Commissioners today learned about a court decision to remove the super homestead proposal from the ballot for voters during the Jan. 29 ballot.

That might be one ray of sunshine for county officials in an otherwise gloomy budget.

If it passes, super homestead would take a big bite out of the property taxes the county collects. County officials estimate perhaps one-fifth of properties taxed now might become exempt.

County Attorney Robert Sumner reported state lawmakers might correct the wording of the ballot language in time to vote on the super homestead exemption Jan. 29.

He also learned the other option might be to appeal the lower court ruling to the Florida Supreme Court.

The attitude of Gov. Charlie Crist, during a Pasco County appearance Monday night, was to move forward on the super homestead, Commissioner Michael Cox said.

"We're still going to have a big problem next year," Michael Nurrenbrock, the county's budget chief, said – even if voters reject super homestead.

The county is still bound to reduce property taxes in 2008 under state property tax reforms passed this summer.

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