Pinellas officials had no good news for people who attended a Tuesday night town hall meeting on the county's budget plans for the 2010 fiscal year. ...more

March 4, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - This year's budget cuts for Pasco County schools could pale in comparison to what's in store for 2009-10. ...more

March 4, 2009

The 2009 regular session of the Florida Legislature is under way. The issue dominating the proceedings is the dwindling state government revenue stream. According to current estimates, planned spending for the state's 2010 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1, will have to be cut by $5 billion. If not, there would be a budget deficit, which the state constitution bans. The Legislature could reduce the future red ink potential by asking the Florida voters to do away with the class size amendment to the state constitution they approved in 2002. Unfortunately, lawmakers may only delay class-size compliance a year and ask voters to approve a change in the way compliance is determined next year. ...more

March 4, 2009

Starting Tuesday, Florida lawmakers will have 60 days to stave off a deficit that could exceed $700 million this fiscal year - and that's just the beginning. ...more

March 1, 2009

At his first official meeting as Tarpon Springs city manager, Tuesday night, Mark LeCouris agreed this is most likely one of the toughest times to assume the post as a city's top administrative official. In these, the direst economic times in memory, the city faces a $2 million revenue shortfall in its next fiscal year, LeCouris noted. It may, however, also be the best of times because an economic crisis gives a good manager a chance to really prove his worth, Commissioner Chris Alahouzos declared. ...more

February 28, 2009

No, the headline above isn't asking you what you're doing. Instead, it is a question county officials are asking Pinellas residents as they decide how to deal with a projected revenue shortfall for the 2010 fiscal year. ...more

February 28, 2009

The financial forecast for Hillsborough County schools likely will get worse - even with a stimulus of federal money - and administrators will have to explore ways to cut even deeper, the district's superintendent said Tuesday. ...more

February 25, 2009

The financial forecast for Hillsborough County schools likely will get worse – even with a stimulus of federal money – and administrators will have to explore ways to cut even deeper, the district's superintendent said today. ...more

February 24, 2009

With travel sales down 50 percent for the quarter ended Dec. 31, AAA Auto Club South is eliminating 37 of 3,100 jobs in its three-state area, an official said Monday. ...more

February 24, 2009

With travel sales down 50 percent for the quarter ended Dec. 31, AAA Auto Club South is eliminating 37 of 3,100 jobs in its three-state area, an official said this morning. ...more

February 23, 2009