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Hernando Today

County Officials Just Don't Get It

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By JOHN HERBERT

From Where I Sit

Published: July 19, 2008

Hernando County Commissioners still don't get it. Neither, apparently, does our new county administrator.

The commission has no business entertaining proposals, as it did recently, for a new judicial complex that could wind up costing the county $50 million over the next four years, or maybe twice that much by the time inflation and cost-overruns are figured in. The county administrator shouldn't even have brought it up.

It's roughly twice the size of anticipated annual budget cuts that are predicted over the next few years. We voted for lower taxes — which should mean less public spending. In public hearings last year, we've even begged the commissioners to slash spending.

I realize the current courthouse and jail are bursting at the seams. At the same time, this situation tells me, and should scream at any responsible commissioner and administrator, that the county has too many fannies in too many seats occupying too much office space in current Brooksville buildings.

Earlier this year, for example, the administrator contemplated reducing the number of county department heads from 25 to 12. Support staff and office space could be cut, correspondingly.

The commissioners should spend whatever funds they have available on items like education, on teaching the difference between right and wrong. And it's definitely wrong to assume that the county's pockets are deep enough to overcome any public pinch. And the administrator should show us how to do more with less.

Granted, we learn in business school that we should spend our way out of a financial crisis. I assume, though, that privately-owned entities have better access and credit ratings than public offices for investors who may be willing to back realistic business plans.

At the same time, if private enterprises don't have the money, they don't just go ahead and spend as if money's going out of style.

One advocate of the county's suggested building spree, a Brooksville city planner, claims a new judicial center, if located downtown, would" enhance" the area.

Dreams of grandeur, at taxpayer expense? Shame!

We should be troubled, too, that building and financing of new judicial headquarters might lead to even more dream projects. There have been rumbles about a new parks building, new dog-catcher facilities, road improvements and acquiring new toys for the county's motor vehicle fleet.

Altogether, Hernando County could wind up with more than $100 million in capital investments. Much of the amount could be covered by new bond issues — but they would require millions more in interest payments.

There's even talk in Brooksville of a 3-cent increase in the gas tax. That's laughable, considering the current price of gas and the anti-tax poll.

Several other departments have hinted they would like hefty budget increases, too — community relations, human resources, legal and even the administrator himself. Not even inflation is as high as some county budgetary hopes.

The commissioners know how to say "no." They've already caved into marginal but noisy special interests in animal habitats, "rural tranquility" and traffic controls. In the process, the county has been deprived of RV parks and shopping malls, negative actions that don't say much for Brooksville's hopes to attract new businesses.

Just as irresponsible is the county budget czar's proposal to reduce public bus subsidies by a third, reducing service to four days a week. It would be less confusing just to put the brakes on THE Bus issue altogether for now. We still haven't seen alternative medical transport budgets.

If we can't afford $200,000 out of THE Bus's annual budget, Hernando County surely can't be seriously weighing at least $50 million for a new courthouse.

A regular columnist for Hernando Today, John Herbert lives in Spring Hill.

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