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Hernando Today

$164,000 A Day

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Published: February 20, 2008

How much does it cost taxpayers each day to pay their government workers?

Try $164,000.

That is the average payroll cost per day, including salary and benefits, according to the Hernando County Finance Department. It doesn't include such things as utility bills and other overhead.

According to the latest payroll for the county's 965 employees — including Spring Hill and county firefighters — taxpayers shelled out about $1.7 million over a two-week salary period.

These are employees who fall under the board of county commissioners and don't include constitutional officers.

Fine-tuning the numbers even more, the gross payroll for both fire departments alone is $518,748. So taking them out of the equation, the total payroll for the county is $127,000 per day.

County Commissioner David Russell admits a $164,000-a-day payroll is steep.

That's why he said it is important to maximize productivity and consider tweaking the number of holidays employees now receive.

For example, Hernando County was one of the few surrounding government entities that shut down Monday to observe Presidents Day.

Russell said it may be time to evaluate the holiday schedule, especially in these times of budgetary constraints.

Russell said that will be on incoming County Administrator David Hamilton's to-do list when he starts March 17.

Whether the county has too many paid employee holidays will be a question Hamilton will have to determine, he said.

But Russell believes that eliminating two of the current holidays would save the county money because it would offset the need to hire additional employees.

Incorporating those extra days into the schedule would increase productivity, he said.

"That's the way it works in the private sector," Russell said.

County Commissioner Rose Rocco called Monday for a productivity analysis for Hernando County employees to see if efficiency and customer service can be increased.

To that end, she wants to see a breakdown of paid vacation and sick days and other benefits and perks.

"With the budget as tight as it's going to be, we're going to have to get as much productivity as possible," Rocco said. "That's the bottom line."

Contacted Wednesday in Crow Wing, Minn., Hamilton said it is premature to offer any opinions on the county's holiday schedule.

There are many variables that go into the equation, he said.

But Hamilton stressed anything that impacts the budget will be looked at.

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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