Proposed County Budget Cuts 54 Jobs, Sheriff's Funds, Library Hours

The Manatee County Sheriff's Office would see a , and county employees would each receive a $1,000 bonus under the $976 million budget proposed for 2012 by County Administrator Ed Hunzeker on Wednesday.

The county will also use savings from changes in state pensions and money it has saved in reserves over the years to fill an $8 million shortfall in the face of property tax revenues that continue to decline. Taxable property values in Manatee have dropped by $1.2 billion in the past year.

Hunzeker said service levels will have to be reduced in response to a shrinking budget that has shed more than $130 million since 2007.

"When budget reductions of this magnitude are required, it is not realistic to believe service levels can be maintained," Hunzeker told the Board of County Commissioners at its work session.

Millage rates for county property owners would hold steady at about 6.29, which means the typical owner of a homesteaded property valued at $150,000 would again pay $1,036 in taxes in 2012.

The recommended budget will actually include $8 million in property tax reductions, Hunzeker said, because of declining property values. But he added he would present the commissioners with scenarios on how higher tax rates could affect the budget and services if they should choose to go that route.

Hunzeker's budget is based on projections that show property values will continue to drop before eventuallly bottoming out in 2013.

Water and sewage fees rates would increase by about 3 percent under the proposal.

In what could be one of the more contentious aspects of the proposed budget, Sheriff Brad Steube's request for a $4.1 million increase to add 20 jobs and give employees a 3 percent raise was denied. Instead, Hunzeker proposed a $500,000 decrease.

Hunzeker's proposed $1,000 bonus for county employees drew some questions from the commissioners, mostly about who would be eligible. The one-time bonus would be given to all county employees to help offset the 3 percent they are now required by state mandate to contribute to their pension funds.

It would also be a way of boosting morale, trying to retain talented workers and acknowledging the tough economic climate. County employees will not receive raises for the fifth straight year in 2012.

"We have a number of our employees that you may not see on a regular basis that they're struggling to maintain their family and their standard of living on the salaries that we provide," Hunzeker said.

Among the other notable developments in the proposed budget:

• The Central Library will reduce its weekly hours from 56 to 48 and eliminate three staff positions.
• The Longboat Key Trolley service will continue to be funded at a cost of $200,000, mostly because of an agreement with the town of Longboat Key and Sarasota County, but Hunzeker said the program could be discontinued in 2012 if ridership doesn't improve.
• The elimination of 54 county positions was mostly a result of decreased demand for services, Hunzeker said. Eleven positions were cut in the Parks and Recreation Department, for instance, because of a reduced demand for after-school programs.
• The Supervisor of Elections had requested a 25 percent budget increase to cover the cost of the 2012 election, but Hunzeker recommends the budget be held at its current level of about $2.07 million.
• Operations at the two county-run golf courses will be outsourced to private companies.

The board will hold a on the budget before it goes to a final vote in September. You can find more information at mymanatee.org/budget.