Walton County budget

Walton County's first workshop for the 2010-2011 fiscal year budget has been scheduled for 9 a.m. on Thursday, July 15, at the Walton County Courthouse in DeFuniak Springs.

Bump.

Any truth to the rumor that the commissioners approved a huge tax increase today?

Any truth to the rumor that the commissioners approved a huge tax increase today?

Today they voted to adopt a budget and initial millage rate. Both of those will now become the basis of your TRIM (truth in millage) notice.

They will hold two public hearing on the budget in September.

The budget adopted would have required an increase in the millage rate from 3.4076 mills to 3.9 mills. That is about a 14% increase in the tax rate.

The amazing thing that happened is Commissioner Pridgen made a motion to increase the millage rate to 4.14 mills, was seconded by Commissioner C Jones. Commissioner Comander stated she could not support the increase. Vote was 4-1 with Comander being the no vote.

That means they voted to set the initial rate about 3 million above the rate necessary to have a balanced budget with no explanation of what they planned to do with the excess revenue.

The voted increase in the millage (tax rate) is about 22%.

I can imagine what the extra 3 million is for, but can't say anything until next week.

Today they voted to adopt a budget and initial millage rate. Both of those will now become the basis of your TRIM (truth in millage) notice.

They will hold two public hearing on the budget in September.

The budget adopted would have required an increase in the millage rate from 3.4076 mills to 3.9 mills. That is about a 14% increase in the tax rate.

The amazing thing that happened is Commissioner Pridgen made a motion to increase the millage rate to 4.14 mills, was seconded by Commissioner C Jones. Commissioner Comander stated she could not support the increase. Vote was 4-1 with Comander being the no vote.

That means they voted to set the initial rate about 3 million above the rate necessary to have a balanced budget with no explanation of what they planned to do with the excess revenue.

The voted increase in the millage (tax rate) is about 22%.

WTH? I thought C. Jones promised us when she ran that she would never vote for a tax increase? Pridgen had stated before he was unopposed that he had never voted for a tax increase and would never do so? What do you mean they did not give an explanation? How are we supposed to support such an increase when business is down 20-30 percent due to the oil spill and the economy?
What is the position of the Taxpayer's Association regarding this?

Maybe to put the reserves back into the TDC if BP dosen't come through with reimbursement in a timely fashion.

So they voted in a 21.5% increase in the millage rate, with absolutely no explanation?

Would the first (14%) increase that you mention have kept the budget at last year's levels?

I know I am naive, but state laws require them to start at the millage rate which would match last year's budget and then justify the increase. I realize that this commission has no qualms about breaking the law, but this is a little bald-faced, even for them.

WTH? I thought C. Jones promised us when she ran that she would never vote for a tax increase? Pridgen had stated before he was unopposed that he had never voted for a tax increase and would never do so? What do you mean they did not give an explanation? How are we supposed to support such an increase when business is down 20-30 percent due to the oil spill and the economy?
What is the position of the Taxpayer's Association regarding this?

C. Jones said that all the cuts had been made that could be made.

K. Pridgen stated at Rosemary Town Hall to myself, Suzanne Harris, and another gentleman, that he would NEVER vote for the roll back rate. But at that time he still could have had an opponent.

Credibility is becoming a rare commodity. This does give them quite a bit of wiggle room, but if you looked at the proposed budget there was still quite a bit of wiggle room with funded positions that they had already eliminated this year as being unnecessary, appearing in next year's budget, and I understood them to say that there was not necessarily a plan to fill those positions.

So they voted in a 21.5% increase in the millage rate, with absolutely no explanation?

Would the first (14%) increase that you mention have kept the budget at last year's levels?

I know I am naive, but state laws require them to start at the millage rate which would match last year's budget and then justify the increase. I realize that this commission has no qualms about breaking the law, but this is a little bald-faced, even for them.

All they have to do is add a line to the budget and call it oil disaster reserve to cover this.

The budget was actually reduced by about 2.5 million if I remember correctly, thanks to Mike Adkinson, Rhonda Skipper, Martha Ingle, and Bobby Beasley. But they want to bring in the same amount of tax dollars next year that they brought in this year.

The BCC budget does propose a 75% increase in administrative staffing, so I guess that has to be funded. I think they did cut some workers though.

All they have to do is add a line to the budget and call it oil disaster reserve to cover this.

The budget was actually reduced by about 2.5 million if I remember correctly, thanks to Mike Adkinson, Rhonda Skipper, Martha Ingle, and Bobby Beasley. But they want to bring in the same amount of tax dollars next year that they brought in this year.

The BCC budget does propose a 75% increase in administrative staffing, so I guess that has to be funded. I think they did cut some workers though.

In case the commissioners have not noticed business is DOWN. What do they need 75% more staff to administer? If the officers can cut, why can't the commissioners at least remain the same.

C. Jones said that all the cuts had been made that could be made.

K. Pridgen stated at Rosemary Town Hall to myself, Suzanne Harris, and another gentleman, that he would NEVER vote for the roll back rate. But at that time he still could have had an opponent.

Credibility is becoming a rare commodity. This does give them quite a bit of wiggle room, but if you looked at the proposed budget there was still quite a bit of wiggle room with funded positions that they had already eliminated this year as being unnecessary, appearing in next year's budget, and I understood them to say that there was not necessarily a plan to fill those positions.

Ms. Jones needed to remember what happened to the senior President Bush when he broke a no new tax promise. Mr. Pridgen shows the taxpayers the danger in allowing politicians to be reelected without an opponent and the further danger of allowing any of them to stay very long. They forget who they work for.

The 14% increase maybe could have been justified but 22% in a down economy? Never.

I bet it would have been 5-0 if Ms. Commander had not had an opponent in the coming election. I wonder how hard she actually argued against it?

We need to vote um all out, Federal, State and Local and start over. The new ones could not do worse than what we have. All the bureaucrats need to go too. They enable and encourage the politicians to do what they do.

Those constitutional officers who reduced their budgets were:

Martha Ingle - Clerk of Courts - $ 403,553
Bobby Beasley - Supervisor of Elections - $ 1,901
Patrick Pilcher - Property Appraiser - $92,482
Mike Adkinson - Walton County Sheriffs Office - $678,569

Those who increased their budgets as presented by the OMB director were:

Rhonda Skipper - Tax Collector + $5,485.00


Total Budget Reductions from last years budget - $2,509,373

Total Budget Reductions from Constitutional Officers $ 1,117,020

Cuts from BCC Controlled $ 1,392,353


Selected BCC Departments Increase/Decrease

Administration +284,619 (+3 people)
Parks & Recreation -$99,570
Planning -$432,082
Animal Control +283,201
Fire&EMS( North Walton) -$277,471

Those voting for the 22% increase:

Larry Jones
Kenneth Pridgen
Scott Brannon
Cecilia Jones

Those Voting Against the 22%

Sara Comander

Those constitutional officers who reduced their budgets were:

Martha Ingle - Clerk of Courts - $ 403,553
Bobby Beasley - Supervisor of Elections - $ 1,901
Patrick Pilcher - Property Appraiser - $92,482
Mike Adkinson - Walton County Sheriffs Office - $678,569

Those who increased their budgets as presented by the OMB director were:

Rhonda Skipper - Tax Collector + $5,485.00


Total Budget Reductions from last years budget - $2,509,373

Total Budget Reductions from Constitutional Officers $ 1,117,020

Cuts from BCC Controlled $ 1,392,353


Selected BCC Departments Increase/Decrease

Administration +284,619 (+3 people)
Parks & Recreation -$99,570
Planning -$432,082
Animal Control +283,201
Fire&EMS( North Walton) -$277,471

Those voting for the 22% increase:

Larry Jones
Kenneth Pridgen
Scott Brannon
Cecilia Jones

Those Voting Against the 22%

Sara Comander

Why does planning need $400,000+ more? What are they planning for, a huge bonfire to burn all the vacant properties? How to properly shutter all the closed businesses? And I ask again, what are we administering that requires 3 more people making $90,000+? Didn't anyone say anything to try and dissuade the 4 from voting for this?

The planning change is a negative number - I think it reflects the lack of development at this time.

The planning change is a negative number - I think it reflects the lack of development at this time.

Sorry, I misread the post because I am seeing red. Looks like we are cutting fire and ambulances too so what ARE we getting? A bunch of bureaucrats sitting in offices?

I bet it would have been 5-0 if Ms. Commander had not had an opponent in the coming election. I wonder how hard she actually argued against it?

I doubt it. She has argued against out of control government spending the last three times that budgets have came up. I would have expected nothing less this time. Since she has actually operated a business and is so heavily involved in trying to move forward with economic development I really think she gets it.

Why does planning need $400,000+ more? What are they planning for, a huge bonfire to burn all the vacant properties? How to properly shutter all the closed businesses? And I ask again, what are we administering that requires 3 more people making $90,000+? Didn't anyone say anything to try and dissuade the 4 from voting for this?

Bob Hudson did say something. A very animated discussion ensued in which the commissioners kept trying to change the subject or got really defensive like they were being attacked, typical misdirection, when Bob pointed out that they were funding positions they had already decided they did not need this year, they immediately acted like they were being accused of 'cooking the books'. My understanding is that Pridgen read his motion from a prepared text he had with him from the begining of the meeting, indicating that the public hearing was a sham, imho. Minds were made up, the majority have something in mind and it is going to cost 3.7 million dollars. Maybe someone has a developer friend that wants to build a public park in their private development, not like that has not been done before.

So the question we have to ask ourselves, what services are we willing to pay for? Sara did not vote for the current millage as it was proposed, is she also opposed to a millage increase to have the same $$'s as last year or is her goal to reduce the $$'s collected and if so where are her suggestion for cuts? Wrobert, I would prefer to hear from her and not you on this, unless you are representing her in some fashion. Thanks

If you have not noticed not one candidate has posted on Sowal this campaign cycle.

Wonder why ?

If you have not noticed not one candidate has posted on Sowal this campaign cycle.

Wonder why ?

They would prefer not to commit to anything.;-)

Bob Hudson did say something. A very animated discussion ensued in which the commissioners kept trying to change the subject or got really defensive like they were being attacked, typical misdirection, when Bob pointed out that they were funding positions they had already decided they did not need this year, they immediately acted like they were being accused of 'cooking the books'. My understanding is that Pridgen read his motion from a prepared text he had with him from the begining of the meeting, indicating that the public hearing was a sham, imho. Minds were made up, the majority have something in mind and it is going to cost 3.7 million dollars. Maybe someone has a developer friend that wants to build a public park in their private development, not like that has not been done before.

We all owe Mr. Hudson a debt of gratitude. Now what can we do to stop this? Is a recall possible? Can we still write "john doe" in against Pridgen and force a special election? Or are we just Sc****d?

I doubt it. She has argued against out of control government spending the last three times that budgets have came up. I would have expected nothing less this time. Since she has actually operated a business and is so heavily involved in trying to move forward with economic development I really think she gets it.

You could have said the same things about Pridgen before this week. I have come to the conclusion they are all the problem and all must go. But I am angry and reserve the right to change my mind.;-)

So the question we have to ask ourselves, what services are we willing to pay for? Sara did not vote for the current millage as it was proposed, is she also opposed to a millage increase to have the same $$'s as last year or is her goal to reduce the $$'s collected and if so where are her suggestion for cuts? Wrobert, I would prefer to hear from her and not you on this, unless you are representing her in some fashion. Thanks

Did you need her phone number?

You could have said the same things about Pridgen before this week. I have come to the conclusion they are all the problem and all must go. But I am angry and reserve the right to change my mind.;-)

True, only LJones and SBrannon have made it abundantly clear from past actions that raise revenues and growing government is not a concern of theirs.

If you have not noticed not one candidate has posted on Sowal this campaign cycle.

Wonder why ?

They are sane?