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Escambia County’s $9.6 Million Budget Dilemma Solved
June 15, 2012
The Escambia County Commission received good news this morning — what was a $9.6 million budget deficit has been cut dramatically without any tax increase.
The current deficit, according to County Administrator Randy Oliver, is down to $410,382. After planned retirement buyouts, that deficit drops to $264,855. The improved budget was based in part on an estimated $2.4 million increase in ad valorem tax collections and on cost reductions across the board.
The commission decided Thursday to eliminate four positions to make up the $264,000. But before the employees get their pink slips, the county will ask the Escambia County Health Facilities Authority for the $264,000 to offset the funding of Escambia County Community Clinics.
The county faced a budget crisis after a state mandate that the county pay for 10 years of Medicaid bills, about $6 million. The library systems was one of the first potential targets to save cash, but branch libraries were spared after public outcry.
“Escambia County anticipated a $3.4 million deficit. However, when the State of Florida passed down the unfunded $6.1 million Medicaid mandate to local government, we were faced with closing a $9.6 million dollar shortfall,” Oliver said. “Actions proposed by the staff – and approved by the Board of County Commissioners – has addressed this deficit in a prudent manner and resulted in a balanced budget without using general fund reserves.”
The library systems was one of the first potential targets to save cash, but branch libraries were spared after public outcry. Library funding does take a 5-percent cut under the proposed budget, but there is a stipulation that all libraries in the unincorporated areas of the county must continue to operate in the same manner as the other branch libraries, including hours of operation. That stipulation includes the Molino Branch which will open later this year.
Pictured: Escambia County Administrator Randy Oliver addresses the Escambia County Commission Thursday morning. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
11 Responses to “Escambia County’s $9.6 Million Budget Dilemma Solved”
David—-you say it so well!
Amazing how when it came down to the wire that there’ was a “fix” to the problem and that nothing had to be done. However, we’re always hearing that same old familar tune from the county commission, “The sky is falling, the sky is falling.” Give us credit for knowing that this county admin wastes more money than it needs.
Apparently Joan has solved all our problems, she is going to prevent crime, stop homes and businesses from burning down stop accidents and health care emergencies and protect us from foreign and terrorist threats. According to her police, fire, military and emergency workers only bleed taxpayers dry and don’t produce anything.
Becoming a parent whether married or not does not constitute the abilty to be or not to be able to provide. I am a single parent and raised my child without Marriage and the Govt by choice. Single parents or “unwed mothers” are not always looking for hand-outs. Unwed parents are always the blame for financial struggles which is so untrue. I know several Married people w children that get assistance from the Govt. Yes, the system has been taking advantage of and yes women are having babies one after the other because they lack the intellegence of financial obligation and personal obligation and expect someone else to take care of them and their children, which is very sad. Just saying before we start pointing fingers at a certain group, we should know the facts. .
No one minds helping out hardworking people who have children but find themselves falling on tough times. I t could be any os at any time. What taxPAYERS mind are the breeders whose ” job ” it to start pushing put babies to get more money. Anyone who acts like they don’t know the difference are just hiding behind ignorance. This country can not afford to keep borrowing to breed babies as a source of income .. If the do ever hold down a job it will probably be some govt job. Govt jobs DO NOT PRODUCE ANYTHING AT ALL THEY JUST BLEED TAXPAYERS DRY.
Alabama farmers did not plant as many crops last year because with the clamp down on illegal aliens THEY WERE AFRAID THE CROPS WOULD ROT BECAUSE NOONE ELSE IS WILLING TO WORK !!!
Look a uwf buying golf courses and RAISING TUITION, oh but not to worry no teachers (term I use very loosely) or staff will not be loosing their paychecks … Whew now I can sleep easy tonight.
Looks like county employees wii not see a raise for another 10 years but the city and office workers do. We are the ones that show production not them.
Shame to say why were we spending so much monies to begin with, and hope that we keep a tight belt and do some much needed infrastructure in the county.
REGARDING:
“The blame always gets passed on to unwed mothers ”
Possibly because they had the option of not becoming mothers until such time as they were personally able to provide the care their children would need — through marriage, birth control, suitable employment or abstinence. Nobody else’s business which option they chose unless they are demanding others pay for their decisions.
David not blaming
but acknowledging
The blame always gets passed on to unwed mothers or food stamp recipients or someone who may be less fortunate. It always amazes me how quick some people are to judge. I hope you never have to humble yoyrself to the “system”. It is not easy to lay your pride down and accept help when it is needed. Dont judge people, exotically when you dont know what may really be going on.
It always amazes me when folks just up and decide they’ve been paying people for years and the job wasn’t important in the first place.
Either they’re wrong or they’ve wasted a LOT of money over the years.
“State of Florida passed down the unfunded $6.1 million Medicaid mandate to local government, we were faced with closing a $9.6 million dollar shortfall.”
Maybe if we did not pay for unwed mothers to continue having baby-after-baby on the state’s dime, we could close some of this gap. Pregnant Medicaid should not be an entitlement program funding baby after baby.
Instead of taking jobs away to make up the loss of revenue, make people acocuntable. If Escambia County and the State of Florida quit paying, these dead-weights will move out of our state (using their tax returns of unearned income credit)