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Suncoast Pasco News

Sheriff scales back tentative budget

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BY CARL ORTH

SUNCOAST NEWS ASSISTANT EDITOR

Published: June 4, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - What a difference a year makes.

In 2007, while still in the dark before changes to the state's property tax system had been finalized and home values plummeted, Sheriff Bob White released a tentative fiscal 2008 budget asking for an extra $11.2 million to $94.7 million. With the 13.4 percent increase, White wanted to hire an extra 109 more employees.

White and the County Commission, however, later whittled down the Sheriff's Office fiscal 2008 budget to $86.1 million, roughly half of what the county collects in property taxes.

Last Friday, White unveiled a tentative fiscal 2009 budget with an overall decrease of about $1.1 million, or a total of about $85 million, in proposed spending for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1. The hallmarks of this proposal were no layoffs and no pay raises.

With the county possibly losing even more revenue, the question remains - will it be enough of a reduction?

"You ruined my weekend," Commissioner Michael Cox said late Friday when a reporter first showed him a copy of a summary of the sheriff's budget.

Cox said county officials had asked the sheriff to shoot for a 6 percent reduction. That would have been more in the neighborhood of a $5 million reduction from the current budget. That would translate into a sheriff budget proposal for about $81 million instead of the $85 million White is seeking for fiscal 2009.

Cox emphasized Friday he had not had time yet to go through the entire Sheriff's Office FY '09 budget document. Cox, a Democrat, is not up for re-election this year. White, a Republican, is seeking re-election this year to a third term as sheriff.

"This is a starting point ... and we have the rest of the summer" to finalize budget numbers, Sheriff's Office spokesman Kevin Doll said Friday. "We don't know what the final numbers will be" on the amount of revenue the county will collect, he said.

"This is a start," Doll added.

For comparison, Jed Pittman, clerk of the circuit court, released his budget on Friday as well. The 31st and final annual budget request from Pittman, who is retiring late this year, is $3,275,063. That is 5 percent below the fiscal 2008 budget of the Clerk of the Court's Office.

Pittman also noted his office has returned $2.9 million in excess fees the past two years.

"Compared to last year, it looks a lot better," Mulieri remarked about the sheriff's $85 million request. "I appreciate that," Mulieri commented about the $1.1 million overall reduction in the sheriff's budget request.

Mulieri said she had read warnings by Property Appraiser Mike Wells that total assessed values in Pasco might drop by $3 billion this summer. Also, many people strapped for cash haven't paid property taxes which were due in April. That means the county might wind up with less revenue to spend.

Involved with two food banks, Mulieri said she has seen many more residents looking for help in a tight economy.

"We just have to roll with the punches and see what happens," Mulieri commented. She is confident "excellent" county leadership and staff "can handle it. I think they're up to it."

Carl Orth can be reached at 727-815-1068 or corth@suncoastnews.com.

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