Budget Cuts Need Bigger Ax

Budget czar George Zoettlein deserves kudos for trimming Hernando County's expenses by some $37 million since last year. The draft budget for 2009 still comes in at $384 million. But there are no new taxes and, in Zoettlein's own words, "There's more work to be done."

Truer words were never spoken. What about that duplication of functions that Spring Hill Fire Rescue represents? So, we save $20,000 a year by demoting an emergency call center chief from "director" to "manager." Now, what about saving more by merging both the center and other parallel operations?

THE Bus, which serves less than 1 percent on Hernando County's 160,000 population, survived pretty much intact as the feeble product it is. There'll be no route expansion, but no cut in its current five-day-a-week operation, either.

No public transport alternatives were presented, like the cost of taxi coupons, which could ensure that driverless patients could keep medical or dental appointments even without THE Bus. Neither was there any calculation, or even a hint, at what the economics might be for express commuter buses to and from principal Tampa Bay business centers.

And what difference would it have made to the overall budget if we simply provided an improved bus service for free? Other small communities throughout the nation do something like that. Business is grateful; so are employees and customers.

In essence, THE Bus budget tells us only that we can keep the current spotty service but at a higher price. That doesn't make much sense.

Neither does the question of providing more money for animal services while possibly cutting another code enforcement officer, instead. As long as the issue is on the table, why not slash both?

The taxpayer shouldn't have to cover the $40 cost of "fixing" a household pet. Animal services, formerly known as the dog catcher, should collect cash from (instead of subsidizing) pet owners for services rendered, be they shots or neutering.

Western society won't accept cruel birth control measures any longer. Strange, the Chinese still do, and get away with it by quietly disposing of unwanted infant daughters. In the meantime, we still have to put up with feral cats spraying in our doorways.

County Sheriff Richard Nugent outlined a slightly higher budget for 2009. Unfortunately, crime is keeping pace with Hernando County's residential growth and commercial expansion. Still, I have that uneasy feeling that the sheriff doesn't want to hear the county administrator's budget instructions: "bare bones."

Sheriff Nugent gave a slick and very easy to understand overhead slide show in explaining his department's situation. But do we really need to foot a slide show bill that certainly could have made less flashy?

We didn't really need colorful illustrations to show that Hernando County has a little less police protection than the majority of other Florida counties. Sheriff Nugent is credible; I would have taken his word for it.

There are challenges on the parks and recreation side of the ledger. Like other major areas, parks needs much more work on its finances. I'm not in favor, though, of cutting sports programs; our kids are already too fat and need more fresh-air exercise.

But parks is willing to entertain the outside-the-box idea of selling stadium and playground names. And our highly paid legal talent should be able to find a way for the county to sell and control advertising in our parks without too many frivolous civil rights lawsuits.

Parks' revenue could be enhanced by planting parking meters in strategic locations at our beaches and boat ramps. Nearby counties already do. We still need to look at the expense of buying and installing meters and hiring a small squad of meter maids to enforce fees and empty the meters.

Next year's budget work is far from over. There will be two public hearings in September. Generally speaking, though, the raw material is encouraging. We can do it!