Item B
Budget Proposal
The County currently has serious financial problems looking at a 10 million dollar
deficit. Also, the current budget for FY 08/09 is about 10% over the roll back or a
10% increase in taxes, which requires a unanimous vote or 4/5 vote of this
Commission. I can not imagine that three current County Commissioners who are
running for election would agree to the tax increase, if so I would say Bye-Bye - in
getting elected.
As we all know that the Financial Crisis is not only in Monroe County, but through
Florida and the United States. High gas prices, foreclosures, high employment rates,
out sourcing jobs, financial institutions going broke, stock market going down,
housing market not selling, no new housing projects due to the poor economic of the
country. We are clearly in a recession leading towards possible depression. This is
due to many issues, the Iraq War having already sunk $686 billion and currently
spending at a rate of $12 billion per month to maintain the conflict, the ever
increasing U.S deficit along with the value of the U.S. Dollar down brought about by
the clearly mismanagement by our political leaders, etc.
So, in viewing the County's budget proposal all I see by staff is recommending
cutting staff and programs that are for provider services to our most needy citizens,
the elderly, disabled and poor, and cutting all low level staff, which I like to call the
workers or Indians who provide the various services to the public, while all the fat
cats (management) protect their turf, This County is extremely top heavy, that is
where the cuts need to occur.
For years Monroe County operated on a 7 1/2 hour day from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
Since the Administration has recently recommended to reduce the hours of
Transportation from 8 hours per day to 7 hours per day saving 12.5% plus cut
several employees from that program, from that strategy the following idea came to
mind.
Current breakdown for Total Salaries and Fringe Benefits with FB being
Retirement, FICA and Workmen's Compensation.
FY 07-08
BOCC
Sheriff
Clerk
Supervisor of Elections
Property Appraiser
$20,791,205
28,226.243
2,843.827
921,700
3.006.653
$55,789,628
*Not included in this total is the Tax Collector, as I understand her budget is based
on the revenue collected.
By changing the County's hours of operation from 8am - 5pm to 9am - 5pm, the
salary and fringe benefit savings would be $55,789,628 times 12.5%, for a savings of
$6,973,703.
There would also be a savings in utilities with the current cost of $3,282,275 times
12.5% or $410,284 saved.
Transportation: $1,000,000 funding could come from the current unused gas tax
balance of $9 million saving the budget $1 million.
Vandenberg Project: $2,000,000 savings by withdrawing from the project.
Hickory House Property: $3,000,000 savings by selling otTthe property.
In Summary, the totals: $6,973,703 Salaries & FB 12.5% cut
410,284 Utilities 12.5% cut
1,000,000 Transportation funding from gas tax surplus
2,000,000 Vandenberg Project withdrawal
3.000.000 Hickory House property sale
$13,383,987
Additional cost savings can be gotten ifthe County would go 100% Grecn
Use timers for lights, air conditioning, computers etc.
Better control of water and gas usage.
Reduce employees working during hurricanes from triple pay to double pay.
Hurricane Wilma cost the County $700,000 in salaries that FEMA will not
reimburse.
Reduce upper management from 9 divisions to 4 divisions
Consolidate functions
Purchase only gas efficient vehicles while at the same time reduce the
number of vehicles being used by non-essential positions. In prior years
employees used their cars and were reimbursed for travel or received a car
allowance. The County saves the cost of purchasing the vehicle, the
maintenance on the vehicle and the cost of insurance.
Stop doing any new capital projects because they have been for the most part
been grossly mismanaged and have cost greatly over the budgeted amount.
In Conclusion, to achieve this proposal the Constitutional Officers and the BOCC
need to agree.
To the employees, who are not pleased with this proposal, I would like to advise
them that the pain is being spread across the board. I would suggest to the
employees that if something is not done then just look at what is being proposed by
Administration as it is already a drastic measure such as,
-more employee layoffs
- close various programs
-outsource remaining programs
-cuts in various benefits, such as dependent health insurance coverage and other
employee benefits.
Remember that this proposal is based on the current budget FY07-08. The proposed
FY 08-09 budget should have even more possible savings, based on the above
mentioned plan.
This proposal would attempt to prevent an increase in taxes and stop the cutting of
services and staff. Additionally, this solution may allow some already scheduled
program and staff eliminations to not be necessary, especially within the
Community Services and Public Works Divisions.
Louis LaTorre