Pasco County’s budget for fiscal year 2016 will be about $1.3 billion. But that outsized number won’t stretch far enough to meet all the county’s needs, including a pay hike requested by Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco.
Pasco County commissioners were scheduled to set a tentative millage rate, on July 21 — after our deadline for going to press.
However, the budget is still open for discussion and won’t be approved until September.
As it stands now, Nocco will get about $2.7 million of the $6.5 million increase he requested. His overall request of $104 million was about 6.7 percent higher than the budget approved by Pasco County commissioners last year.
The additional funds were meant to cover pay raises and benefits, as well as ongoing expenses for body cameras and helicopter maintenance.
According to Nocco, County Administrator Michele Baker’s proposed budget only provides enough money to give his employees a 1 percent pay boost.
But Baker said the budget proposal provides a 3 percent pay raise for all county employees, without raising the millage rate.
Nocco’s supporters are clearly not satisfied with the county administrator’s proposed budget.
On July 14, employees from the sheriff’s office and fire rescue packed the Dade City Courthouse meeting room as the commissioners received their first public briefing on the budget.
“We’re out here fighting for the sheriff’s budget,” said Sgt. Justin Ross, the department’s union representative.
According to data collected by the sheriff’s department, the starting pay for a Pasco County deputy is just under $40,000. With five years’ experience, pay rises to more than $42,000.
However, the average starting pay in surrounding counties is nearly $43,000. At the Tampa Police Department, a deputy would start at about $47,000. With five years’ experience, pay increases by nearly $10,000.
“You have a bunch of deputies out there unhappy,” said Ross. “They are looking to go elsewhere. Really, we need to start now. It’s imperative.”
Nocco told the commission members he expects to lose up to 60 deputies by the end of the year. That’s an increase over the 44 deputies who left last year.
To meet all of Nocco’s needs, the millage rate would have to be increased about a quarter percent over its current rate of 8.9, according to Assistant County Administrator Heather Grimes.
That equates to a tax bill increase of about $28.50 a year for a homeowner with a $150,000 house.
The total $1.3 billion budget is about $90 million more than the current budget. But, the operating budget of about $450 million is a decrease of just under 1 percent.
The county has had modest growth of about 4.5 percent. Property valuations rose by about $1 billion, translating to an additional $7.7 million in county coffers. But much of that is from new construction.
Existing homes are protected by the state’s Save Our Homes provision that pegs increases to the Consumer Price Index, which is less than 1 percent. The index periodically measures the prices for goods and services paid by households.
“Revenue is not going to recover at the same rate as property valuations,” said Baker.
The county could run out of its general fund reserves – currently about $8.5 million – within three years based on increasing expenses year to year. And, operating reserves of about $24 million would only cover about six weeks of expenses during a natural disaster such as a hurricane.
Baker said the county’s budget is focused on more efficiencies and eliminating waste.
“Money may not be there for a lot of things that we want to do,” she said.
Among highlights in the budget are $1.4 million for a one-time purchase of security cameras at the jail, and maintenance for the helicopter unit. Funds also are allocated for two pilot programs for an inmate work program and a unit that goes after unlicensed contractors.
An annual storm water fee to upgrade failing drainage systems will increase from $47 to $57.
The county will cover the costs of eliminating a $10 recreation fee for each child who plays in noncompetitive sports leagues.
Unless a tax hike is approved, vehicles for three fire stations and construction of a station on Overpass Road in the Watergrass subdivision in Wesley Chapel will remain unfunded. Money is available for those one-time expenditures, Baker said, but there are no funds for recurring personnel costs.
That didn’t sit well with Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “I’m a little unhappy,” she said. “Who made the decision?”
Baker took responsibility. “We just couldn’t get it done without making cuts somewhere else,” she said. “It was too big a nut to be funded.”
Published July 22, 2015
