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Hernando Today

County Finalizes 2009 Budget

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

Hernando Today

Published: September 26, 2008

BROOKSVILLE - The second time around was even quicker than the first.

Thursday's final budget hearing attracted about 40 people - mostly county department heads and staffers - to the government center and lasted all of 15 minutes.

There was no input from the public and, except for a slide presentation from Budget Director George Zoettlein, no commission debate.

It was pretty much a slam dunk for county commissioners, who took care of most of their budget business at their first hearing two weeks earlier.

Commissioners yesterday adopted a final millage rate of 6.3431 mills, unchanged from last year, and a balanced budget of $465.2 million.

A mill is a tax rate on property based on $1 per $1,000 of assessed property value. For example, a property worth $150,000 with a $50,000 homestead exemption would have a tax bill of $632.

For many, their tax bills are lower this year because of the passage of Amendment 1, which allowed for an additional homestead exemption.

The new millage rate for Hernando County Emergency Medical Services is .05598, down from .05839 in 2008.

The final adopted budget for fiscal year 2009 becomes effective Oct. 1.

At the first budget hearing two weeks ago, only 10 citizens offered comments and the proceedings ended up in just over one hour.

This year's twin budget hearings were in stark contrast to last year when hundreds of residents showed up to both demanding tax relief. The county was forced to move the second one to a larger venue to accommodate the crowds.

Zoettlein and County Administrator David Hamilton crafted a leaner budget this year because of the economic downturn affecting Hernando County and the entire state.

The county lost almost $13.6 million in revenue because of Amendment 1 and falling property values.

The county also lost revenue after county commissioners last year passed the Senior Citizens' Homestead Exemption Program, which allowed homeowners 65 and older who meet household income and other requirements to reap an additional property tax exemption up to $50,000.

To further cut costs, commissioners approved zero pay increases for employees who make $65,000 or more annually and a 2 percent salary hike to those who make less than that.

The Constitutional officers have agreed to implement a similar plan. Total savings to the county is expected to be $94,000.

The county has also been forced to trim about 67 people from its payroll.

"The budget continues to provide an array of quality services to the citizens of Hernando County while recognizing the strong mandate to reduce the impact on the property taxes through Amendment 1," Hamilton said prior to Thursday's hearing.

"That set the tone that tax increases (and) millage rate increases would not even be brought to the county board," he said.

Hamilton said the budget may be finalized but the work starts almost immediately for 2010.

The county, he said, is in the first of a two-year downshift in expenditures.

"I'd like to say the job's done and everything's finished, but it's not," he said. "The second year (2010) is likely to be even tougher. We have a lot of work ahead of us."

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

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