The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office has published its 2010 Annual Report. The publication, available in print and online, recognizes agency-wide milestones and achievements in 2010, Sheriff Tom Knight’s second year in office.
In addition to providing an overview of crime statistics, the annual budget and accreditation, the annual report provides insight into the people that propel the agency forward and their professional achievements.
Click on the link above to view the report as a .pdf file.
County tax rate stays nearly put
Ocala
By Bill Thompson Marion County commissioners tentatively passed a $594 million budget for the new fiscal year on Thursday, but not before getting an earful ...Miami Shores sets higher preliminary tax rate
MiamiHerald.com
The tentative tax rate can be decreased during the budget process, which lasts through September, but cannot be increased, according to Florida law. ...
Funding Cuts Leave Area Colleges Gasping
Washington Post
The University of Maryland Baltimore County is cutting positions. And Virginia's state universities are coping with furloughs for the first time in recent ...
September 14, 2009
| 7:00 p.m. |
SARASOTA COUNTY ADMINISTRATION CENTER
1660 RINGLING BOULEVARD
COMMISSION CHAMBER
SARASOTA, FLORIDA
Jon Thaxton, Chair, District 5
Joseph A. Barbetta, Vice Chair, District 2
Carolyn J. Mason, District 1
Shannon Staub, District 3
Nora Patterson, District 4
| ||
1. | ||
| Public hearing to consider Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Proposed Millage Rates and Tentative Budgets for Sarasota County, and the final adoption and certification of the FY 2010 Non-Ad Valorem Assessment Rates and Assessment Rolls. | |
2. |
3. | OPEN TO THE PUBLIC - (Three-minute time limit per person/per meeting.) |
| Individuals with disabilities needing assistance to participate in any of these proceedings should contact County Administration at least three (3) working days in advance of the meeting date and time at (941) 861-5344. |
Eight Florida banks have failed in the past 13 months. Four of them were community banks based in Sarasota or Manatee counties.
. . . city residents paid one-fifth of their annual property tax to be able to live within the city limits. That's hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars, depending on the value of your house or condominium. Was it worth it?
The tangible benefits have become fewer and fewer over the years. The city has handed off its fire and emergency functions to the county, along with parks and recreation. The city provides water and sewer services and trash collection, but residents are billed for them each month and their cost does not come out of their property tax.
The city has a clerk and auditor and financial and record-keeping functions to support all city departments and activities and has its own planning and zoning department -- all of which are essential to the operation of any city, or indeed of any government of any size anywhere. None of these really have a claim on the affections of any city voter or stir up much emotion of any kind -- until something goes wrong.
None of them, singly or in total, justify paying 20 percent of your property tax bill to maintain a city. The only department that might do so is the Police Department, which is now the center of a bubbling controversy. More...
Members of the Budget Task Force will receive more information from Sarasota County staff this week and start work on their report to the county commission.
Task force members will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, in the third floor Think Tank of the County Administration Center, 1660 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota and again at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 30, in the first floor Press Room of the County Administration Center.
The Wednesday session will focus on the budgets for Construction Management Services, Emergency Services, Talent and Performance Management, Communications, Financial Planning and Enterprise Information Technology.
Thursday, task force members will begin drafting their report regarding the county budget, which they will deliver to the county commission on Sept. 8.
Both meetings are public but only the Wednesday meeting will be aired live over Access Sarasota TV on Comcast channel 19 and Verizon channel 32, and webcast over scgov.net.
Sarasota County commissioners appointed the 10-member task force to review the county’s proposed fiscal year 2010 budget and make recommendations about priorities.
Residents can also provide feedback about county budget priorities through an online budget tool at www.scgov.net/CommunityConnections. This web-based survey allows property owners to enter their assessed property value and shows the amount of their property tax bill that pays for services such as fire and emergency medical service, libraries and parks. Property owners can select different levels of service for these areas and see how changing the level of service affects their property tax bill.
For additional information on the Citizens’ Budget Task Force, contact the Sarasota County Call Center at 941-861-5000.
Pinellas County did not spend all of the new tax revenue generated during the past few years, but saved a substantial portion of the new property taxes collected. About $65 million was allocated to the county's general fund reserves between 2004 and 2006. This "savings account" is set aside to better position Pinellas County to recover after a hurricane or other natural disaster, to maintain cash flow at the beginning of each new fiscal year and to handle other emergencies. During the last two years, the county has strategically spent down a portion of our reserves, while maintaining a minimum reserve of 15 percent of the general fund balance. More...
PROPOSED BUDGET |
Sarasota, FL – The proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2009-10 is now available for review on the City of Sarasota website www.sarasotagov.com. An icon on the right side of the homepage links you directly to an executive summary as well as the complete proposed budget. A 30-minute television show devoted to the City’s financial state is also available atwww.sarasotagov.com. City Manager Robert Bartolotta hosts “City Focus” and provides an overview of the proposed budget with Finance Director Chris Lyons. The program is also being shown regularly on Access Sarasota, the government access channel, Comcast channel 19 and Verizon channel 34. Citizens will have an opportunity to provide input on the proposed budget Wed., July 15, 2009 at 6 pm in the Commission Chambers at City Hall, 1565 First Street. The public input session is being held prior to the City Commission’s budget workshops, when Commissioners begin the decision making process to establish the millage rate. There will be no formal staff presentation during the public input meeting. The budget workshops will be held Tues. July 21st and Wed. July 22nd 8 am – 5 pm in the Commission Chambers. The workshops are open to the public; however, public input will not be permitted at that time. Public input on the proposed budget will be heard Wed., July 15th. |
10. | ||
| To approve the standardized Tourist Development Cultural/Arts Grant Agreement for submittal to each Arts Grant Recipient for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009/2010 and to authorize the Chair to execute Grant Agreements to incorporate the approved Grant amounts and Grantee information. | |
11. | |
| To approve the Tourist Development Fiscal Year (FY) 2009/2010 Cultural/Arts Grant recommendations, in the amount of $1,198,643.00, as follows: |
A. | Art Center Sarasota, Inc., A Sizzling Season, in the amount of $17,029.00; |
B. | Artist Series of Sarasota, Musical Mosaics: Overture and Exit, in the amount of $11,312.00; |
C. | Asolo Center for the Performing Arts, Shoulder to Shoulder Project No. 1, in the amount of $81,554.00; |
D. | Asolo Center for the Performing Arts, Summer Season Project No. 2, in the amount of $13,176.00; |
E. | Banyon Theatre Company, Inc., 2010 Summer Season, in the amount of $6,657.00; |
F. | Circus Sarasota, Inc., Circus Sarasota Winter Production, in the amount of $47,712.00; |
G. | Coexistence, Inc., Embracing Our Differences, in the amount of $17,035.00; |
H. | Florida Studio Theatre, 2010 Sarasota Festival of New Plays, in the amount of $46,602.00; |
I. | Florida Studio Theatre, Summerfest 2010, in the amount of $45,631.00; |
J. | Florida State University/John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, From the Canals of Venice to the Big Top, in the amount of $93,205.00; |
K. | Gulf Coast Heritage Association, Inc., Historic Spanish Point, Heritage Holidays at Historic Spanish Point, in the amount of $15,307.00; |
L. | Jazz Club of Sarasota, Inc., 30th Annual Sarasota Jazz Festival, in the amount of $20,688.00; |
M. | Jazz Club of Sarasota, Inc., Big Band Bash, in the amount of $1,611.00; |
N. | Key Chorale, Inc., Living Music, The Composer’s Craft, in the amount of $8,438.00; |
O. | La Musica, Resolution, in the amount of $18,419.00; |
P. | PAL/Sailor Circus, 2009 Holiday Spectacular, in the amount of $12,483.00; |
Q. | PAL/Sailor Circus, 61st Annual Spring Shows, in the amount of $11,373.00; |
R. | The Players, Inc., Broadway Theatre Series, in the amount of $27,961.00; |
S. | The Players, Inc., SNAP - Something New at Players, in the amount of $11,928.00; |
T. | The Players, Inc., Summer Sizzler Series, in the amount of $7,157.00; |
U. | Ringling School of Art and Design, Selby Gallery, 2009-2010 Exhibitions and Visiting Artists; in the amount of $18,863.00; |
V. | Sarasota Ballet of Florida, Inc., Downtown with the Sarasota Ballet, in the amount of $91,263.00; |
W. | Sarasota Film Festival, Inc., 12th Annual Sarasota Film Festival, in the amount of $82,525.00; |
X. | Sarasota Film Society, Inc., Cine-World Film Festival 2009, in the amount of $11,850.00; |
Y. | Sarasota Opera Association, Inc., Fall Production: La Traviata, in the amount of $46,117.00; |
Z. | Sarasota Opera Association, Inc., Opera Lovers' Weekend, in the amount of $42,719.00; |
AA. | Sarasota Orchestra, Seeing Music - Shoulder Season 2009-2010, in the amount of $93,205.00; |
BB. | Sarasota Season of Sculpture, Inc., Season Five, in the amount of $22,835.00; |
CC. | Selby Botanical Gardens, MSBG Events for 2009-2010, in the amount of $82,525.00; |
DD. | Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, World Class Entertainment, in the amount of $85,216.00; |
EE. | Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, FridayFest on the Bay at the Van Wezel, in the amount of $7,406.00; |
FF. | Venice Little Theatre, Inc., Tourism Through the Arts, Fall to Summer, in the amount of $88,350.00; |
GG. | Westcoast Black Theater Troupe, 2009-2010 10th Anniversary Season, in the amount of $10,491.00. |
12. | ||
| To authorize advertisement of a public hearing to consider a proposed Ordinance, amending Ordinance No. 2004-078, as amended and codified in Section 122-34 of the County Code, to increase the Court Facilities Surcharge from $15.00 to $30.00, relating to non-criminal traffic infractions and certain criminal violations. | |
13. | |
A. | To approve expenditure from the Law Enforcement Trust Fund in the amount of $5,000 for the Youth Empowerment and Leadership Development Academy (YELDA) on the ground that the organization provides safe community activities in order to reduce juvenile crime and drug activity. |
B. | To adopt a Resolution, Budget Amendment No. 2009-050, amending the Sheriff's Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Budget, to increase the revenues and expenditures of the Law Enforcement Trust Fund, in the amount of $5,000. |
14. | ||
| To authorize the disposal of vehicles and off-road equipment. | |
15. | ||
| To authorize the conveyance of surplus property to other governmental agencies and charitable organizations, removal of property from the Fixed and Moveable Asset Detail Inventory System, and auction of surplus/obsolete property. | |
Sarasota County predicts revenues will fall short of expenses.
As Sarasota County begins its budget discussions for the 2010 fiscal year, County Administrator Jim Ley issued a warning.
“We can’t continue funding shortfalls with additional funds in the coming years, without an increase in revenue or a reduction in expenses,” said Ley.
With estimated 2010 expenditures of $262 million and revenues of $227 million, the county will once again use additional funds, such as fuel savings and lower-than-estimated spending in 2009, to offset the expected $35 million shortfall. ...
The $981 million budget is $114 million less than this year’s budget, but the county will rely on more efficiently operating each of its departments instead of more layoffs to achieve those savings.
FY2010 county budget details
Department FY'10 FY'09
Mobility operations $16,801,386 $19,254,507
Public transit $24,455,578 $23,706,454
Capital management services $7,127,809 $7,127,809
Health and human services $23,353,481 $24,737,650
Planning and development $40,608,947 $33,265,056
Libraries $11,590,545 $11,590,179
UF/IFAS extension $1,038,747 $1,112,827
History center $468,856 $468,925
Parks and recreation $19,516,065 $19,267,566
Emergency management $1,790,119 $1,785,621
Fire services $34,480,113 $33,864,213
EMS $38,652,099 $37,083,288
Public safety communications $4,287,031 $5,005,068
Lifeguards $2,362,828 $2,362,723
Facilities services $7,915,233 $8,046,352
Facilities maintenance
and custodial services $6,651,880 $6,842,437
Horticulture services $6,950,929 $6,987,234
Operations
and maintenance field services $18,978,533 $21,952,169
Fleet services $26,900,948 $26,900,948
Stormwater $18,148,361 $18,004,886
Utilities $92,519,349 $97,369,211
Water resources $1,060,149 $1,450,401
Solid waste $42,303,445 $44,748,809
Natural resources $12,807,479 $10,155,126
Human resources $2,994,510 $3,112,529
Strategy management services $169,502 $376,492
Enterprise information
technology $16,313,910 $16,886,562
Financial planning $54,103,777 $52,818,105
Communications $3,940,490 $3,850,317
More...
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