Leon County Balances Funding Community Priorities
Without Increasing Millage Rate
In its continued effort to deliberately focus on the most fiscally responsible budget possible, the Leon County Board of County Commissioners, in a 7-0 vote today, balanced the County’s tentative budget without raising the millage rate for the fifth year in a row. The proposed Fiscal Year 2018 budget of $253.6 million is a 3.04 percent increase from last year’s budget.The Board accomplished this year’s tentative balanced budget while leaving the millage rate at the current 8.3144 mills. The County maintained its use of reserves, continued funding infrastructure projects, and supporting quality service levels.After very productive discussion and debate, the Board approved a tentative budget for the 2017/2018 fiscal year."As Chairman, I'm proud of the Board's hard work today at the budget workshop," said Leon County Commission Chairman John E. Dailey. "While property values have risen slowly in our recovering economy, we remain committed to serving our citizens well while avoiding new expenses. This balanced budget demonstrates that commitment.”The preliminary budget was developed in a slowly improving economy, where growth in property tax revenues and state sales tax revenues are beginning to cover the inflationary costs of government expenses without having to reduce program services. Some actions taken to balance the budget include:• No change in either the Countywide Millage Rate of 8.3144 mills or the 0.5 EMS MSTU with an increase in property values of 4.8% Countywide;• Constant use of $2.5 million in general fund balance reduced from $5.0 million at the height of the recession;• Implementing a $12/hour living wage for Leon County employees;• Supporting the Leon County Sheriff’s funding request to add 12 new positions to protect public safety;• Adding six full-time paramedics and/or EMTs to Leon County Emergency Medical Services to better serve the County’s increasing calls for service;• Leveraging $1.5 million in funding from the State of Florida’s Springs Restoration Grant Program by advancing $1.5 million in matching funds for the Woodville Sewer Design project to help protect Wakulla Springs and the County’s water quality and natural ecosystems;• Realizing several million dollars in cost avoidance and budget reductions through employee innovations, competitive procurements, innovative approaches to facility capital maintenance, and leveraging financial markets to reduce debt costs; and• Maintaining level funding for Primary Healthcare, Community Human Services Partnerships, and all other outside agencies.Leon County’s long term planning considers the Fiscal Year 2020 proposed constitutional amendment that provides an additional $25,000 homestead exemption, reducing property tax collection by $7.2 million annually and disrupting the community’s local economic recovery. The implementation of a financial plan allows the County several budget cycles to mitigate the impacts to citizens and to ensure Leon County’s long term fiscal viability.Through years of economic recession, despite an era of unfunded mandates and cost shifts, as well as increased demands and costs, Leon County has positioned itself to be fiscally viable and responsible to its citizenry.“Through the County Commission’s responsible fiscal stewardship, Leon County has planned, economized, and exercised enormous budget constraint,” said Leon County Administrator Vincent S. Long. “To constrain budgetary growth and ensure the optimization of limited resources, the County has eliminated positions, realigned functions, and leveraged technology. As a core practice, Leon County employees have identified significant cost avoidances and increased efficiencies, while continuing to maximize efficiency, drive performance and deliver results for our community.”When compared to other like-sized counties in Florida, Leon County continues to maintain the lowest net budget, the lowest net budget per resident, and the lowest number of employees per capita.Based on the results of today’s workshop, the Board will establish the tentative countywide millage and Emergency Medical Services Municipal Services Taxing Unit rates at their July 11, 2017 meeting.Citizens will have the opportunity to provide input on the budget before it is finalized in September. The first public hearing will be on Tuesday, September 12, at 6 p.m. in the Commission Chambers on the fifth floor of the Leon County Courthouse, located at 301 S. Monroe St.The second public hearing will be at the same location on Tuesday, September 26, at 6 p.m., at which time the Board is scheduled to adopt the final budget and millage rates.To inform the community of the upcoming budget hearings, Leon County will continue to implement public information and community outreach via media partner interaction, utilization of the County’s website, government access television channel (Comcast Channel 16 / CenturyLink) and social media outlets.For detailed information on Tuesday’s budget workshop, please visit the Leon County website at www.LeonCountyFL.gov/OMB/ , call the Leon County Office of Financial Stewardship / Office of Management & Budget at (850) 606-5100 or contact Leon County Community and Media Relations at (850) 606-5300 / cmr@LeonCountyFL.gov .
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