County launches budget planning for 2016

Although Sarasota County commissioners saw red today, they were still pleased.

County Administrator Tom Harmer presented the beginnings of the budget process for the Fiscal Year 2016 budget, showing the different sections of the budget and projections for coming years.

The county’s general fund had a projected shortfall (negative difference between revenues and expenditures) of $25.3 million for FY 2016 when the budget was predicted in fall 2013. However, since then, the total general fund has been balanced. The projected 2016 general fund is $275 million.

FY 2017’s estimated shortfall is $8.1 million.

Commissioner Christine Robinson said that although the numbers indicated the commissioner would have to make adjustments, they wouldn’t have to make as many drastic decisions as in previous budget discussions, such as where to make cuts or raising taxes.

“I’m ready to do cartwheels,” she said. “I remember one number, one year was in the 40s or 50s (million).”

The general fund pays for services including emergency services; Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources; Sarasota County Area Transit; and the Sheriff’s Office. It’s only a portion of the county’s entire budget; there are more than 200 county funds that are divvied into five categories besides the general fund.

The city of Sarasota’s Community Redevelopment Area is also paid on the general fund, but the CRA will expire in 2016.

Robinson suggested that the county should start allocating money to a fund for community projects.

Harmer said the framework for a fund pot for community projects was already in place, but hadn’t been funded because of the recession. The county could begin to start the initial funding for a community reinvestment program, and told the board he would bring back a recommendation.

“If it’s a project benefitting us all, county-wide, we should participate,” Commissioner Charles Hines said in agreement with Robinson.

Minority report

County staff presented on each of the county’s eight goals and initiatives, which were one of Harmer’s first initiatives after being hired in February 2014. After the final presentation, “cultivate an innovative organization,” Commission Chairwoman Carolyn Mason told county staff and the other commissioners that she would like to see more minorities working for the county.

She knew the county recruits from a diverse applicant pool, but didn’t see it reflected.

“I’m not seeing higher numbers,” she said. “I think we can do a better job of taking it from recruitment to hiring.”

Harmer agreed to add a diverse workforce onto the new goals list.