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Commissioners Unable To Pass Budget That One Called “Crap”
September 18, 2009
The Escambia County Commission hit an impasse and was unable to approve a proposed $367,489,211 budget for the next fiscal year.
Commissioner Kevin White called the budget “ludicrous” and “crap” because it requires millions in one-time revenue to be balanced. White and fellow commissioner Gene Valentino made the sudden recommendation that the county cut $3 million in funding to the City of Pensacola for libraries that are located in the city.The commissioners proposed that the county still contribute $500,000 to the library system for libraries that are located in the county.
The proposal was prompted by White’s desire to cut $3 million in one-time revenue from the budget and because, they said, the City of Pensacola contributes nothing to Escambia County Area Transit that also serves the city.
The motion to cut the library funding was withdrawn after it became clear it would fail on a 2-2 vote with Commissioner Wilson Robertson not at the meeting for medical reasons.
The actual budget also failed to pass 2-2. Board Attorney Allison Rogers told commissioners that they were required to approve a budget before adjourning their meeting. The commissioners voted to continue their meeting next Thursday at 5:01 p.m. In the event commissioners are unable to approve the final budget draft, the county will be forced to follow the preliminary budget approved two weeks ago.
That preliminary budget, among other differences, cut the funding needed to keep the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century open.
Comments
7 Responses to “Commissioners Unable To Pass Budget That One Called “Crap””
The Pensacola Library is the center for the Talking Book Program for NorthWest Florida. There are a lot of blind, physically handicapped and visually impaired people that depend on this program to get books on audio so that they can have some form of entertainment. This is just one vital service that this inner city library provides. This program would be sorely missed by many if funding were cut off.
A city without a library!
Let me remind you,that Hitler’s Nazis started with destroying books.
What next?
To close the schools,colleges,Universality! In favor of what?
It is very – very sad and Its a shame.
Ludmila
Member of the Book Club
go for it, commissioners! cut the city off on the libraries! you can keep the branch buildings, and the city will have to let the staff off for those branches. re-hire them, then see if the city might sell you some books, or else go and buy some. hire some librarians and administrative personnel and then you’ll have your own county library system! brilliant move, don’t you think? not sure about cheap, but hey, you’ll get to do with it as you please! now that’d be something to your liking, KW and GV!
alternatively, you may just let the county go with no libraries at all. who goes to the library these days, anyway? only losers! i hear some take their kids there — now that’s a practice that shouldn’t be encouraged; what if they pick up a book and learn something?!? apparently some idiots go to the library to learn computer skills in the hope that’ll help them get a job somewhere — now tell me if those are not the biggest losers of all! where would they find jobs? in this county? no way!
REGARDING:
“1-Is it Constitutional?
2-Can we afford it?
3-Is it necessary?
4-Is it the right thing to do?
If they can’t answer yes to all, then the response should be no!”
You actually run into problems with Numbers 3 and 4.
If a thing isn’t absolutely necessary but is the right thing to do, it’s hard to turn it down. In fact very few things are absolutely necessary, but people get elected to provide them. Libraries, paved roads, garbage pickup, community water, health departments, ambulance service, public schools,… We could get by for a while without them because we did in the past but no sane person would say, not absolutely necessary, off with its head.
Number 2 gives problems now and then too, defining affording something. Some folks think we can always raise taxes, borrow, print more moolah, make optimistic assumptions regarding how much money will come in and then throw up hands and act surprised when it doesn’t.
It not hard to believe the county budget is less .REMEMBER we have to educate ALABAMA kids!
At what point will our elected officials be held accountable for their fiscal responsibility?
It’s about time that they understand the government treasury is a sacred trust. It should be handled accordingly.
The public tax money should not be treated like a bowl of halloween candy; for everyone to grab a handful.
Maybe they should follow these simple steps:
1-Is it Constitutional?
2-Can we afford it?
3-Is it necessary?
4-Is it the right thing to do?
If they can’t answer yes to all, then the response should be no!
It is hard to believe the entire county budget is $33 million LESS than the school district’s budget.