By Kyle LoJacono
Preliminary budget projections released by the Pasco County commissioners have cut almost $5 million for several departments for the 2011-12 fiscal year.
The cuts could eliminate 13 positions to help meet the county’s budget, which Pasco finance director Michael Nurrenbrock predicts will shrink by 4.5 percent from this year.
The county’s Human Services Department is scheduled to take the hardest hit, losing $1 million from 2010-11 levels. That would amount to an 11 percent reduction.
Also feeling the pinch are Pasco Parks and Recreation Department and the county’s library system, which would lose a combined $650,000. The hit comes after three years of cuts to both departments.
Pasco parks have lost $1.8 million from its budget since 2008, according to department director Rick Buckman. Those reductions could have been much higher if the commissioners hadn’t approved new user fees to make up a nearly $700,000 deficit.
The library system lost $2.26 million from the county during that time, according to the department’s director Nancy Fredericks. That is on top of reductions from the state and federal level.
Two areas that appear to be safe from cuts are the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office and the Supervisor of Elections office.
Last year, former Pasco Sheriff Bob White fought with the commission for months to get a $4 million increase in funding to hire new deputies and handle other rising costs. He settled for a boost of $925,000.
The sheriff’s office is not letting on if it will ask for another increase.
“Our budget will be released June 1,” said Pasco Sherriff spokesman Kevin Doll. “We will reserve comment until that time.”
Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said he will not ask for additional funding, but will not cut his budget either.
“We will have a presidential election in 2012 and dealing with redistricting from the new census numbers,” Corley said. “We’ve had to cut the budget by about 28 percent during the last four years and we can’t hold elections if we have any more cuts.”
Corley said his current operating budget is $2.6 million, small potatoes when it comes to the sheriff’s $88 million budget.
“It wouldn’t do much to cut our budget,” Corley said. “The meat of the budget, the vast majority of the cost comes from the sheriff’s budget.”
County Commission Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand said they are trying to work out the budget without raising property taxes or making more user fees.
“Things are tough and I don’t believe our citizens can be expected to continue to pay more for the same services,” Hildebrand said.
The most recent county citizen survey indicated that just more than 50 percent of respondents would be willing to pay slightly more for their services, but only 2,000 people took part in the poll.
“I don’t think we want to put too much faith in the survey,” said Commissioner Ted Schrader. “People are struggling out there. They’re concerned about gas prices. They’re concerned about paying their electric bill. They’re concerned about their mortgage.”
Budget talks will heat up during July and August as it needs to be agreed and voted on by Sept. 30 to take effect at the start of October.
