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Hillsborough Eyes Service Cuts, Shies From Tax Bump

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By MIKE SALINERO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 14, 2008

Updated: 02/14/2008 12:14 am

TAMPA - Hillsborough County commissioners are considering reducing some services in rural areas to deal with deficits arising from the passage of Amendment 1, but they are not likely to raise fees or taxes.

In their first budget workshop since the amendment was adopted Jan. 29, commissioners didn't get into many specifics on how to deal with the expected $70 million hit but talked vaguely of how the cuts might mean slower fire and sheriff's office response times for rural residents.

"We have to have an honest conversation with citizens," Commissioner Mark Sharpe said. "We're a big, big county, and we can't offer the same level of services to every spot in the county."

Commissioners met with their budget advisers Wednesday to look for ways to increase revenue or make cuts to deal with looming deficits.

The county is looking at an accumulated effect of $242 million by 2013 because of the increased homestead exemption mandated by Amendment 1, as well as the amendment's provision allowing homeowners to take their Save Our Homes property tax cap to another home.

Eric Johnson, director of the Management and Budget Department, gave the commission a list of possible sources of new money, including raising gas taxes a nickel, increasing fees for recreation programs and charging business owners a fee for fire inspections.

"It's a sensitive issue to talk in the aftermath of property tax reform about raising other revenues," Johnson conceded.

But he said residents seem to be less hostile toward fees paid by users of a county service than to taxes on property.

However, the suggestions were nonstarters with commissioners, three of whom are running for re-election this year.

"I'm not about to raise taxes in this climate, no way, no how," said Commissioner Brian Blair. "Not when the people overwhelmingly told the state of Florida ... they need tax relief."

Commissioner Jim Norman agreed, saying that "doing anything that goes outside the direction of the voters is wrong."

Each of the commissioners put forward ideas for cuts or ways to bring in more money, but the ideas were either met with silence or shot down as impractical.

Blair said clearing up the building permit backlog in the Planning and Growth Management Department would pump up the local economy and put millions of dollars on the property tax rolls. He blamed mismanagement at the department for the slow pace of permit review.

But County Administrator Pat Bean said speeding up permits would be difficult after the layoffs Planning and Growth Management sustained last year to deal with revenue shortfalls. The department could face more layoffs this year as part of an overall county staff reduction to deal with fallout from Amendment 1, Bean said.

Sharpe asked whether county employees could be shifted from the state retirement system, which the county contributes to, and put into 401(k) plans.

Bean, however, said employees in all of Florida's 67 counties are required by law to participate in the state retirement system.

Most commissioners supported Johnson's suggestion to sell corporate sponsorships and branding rights to county buildings, vehicles - even naming an official dog food for Animal Services.

Commissioner Rose Ferlita said she liked the idea but there should be limits.

"I'm not sure we want to go to the extent where you have a code enforcement vehicle that says, 'Pizza Hut delivers,'" Ferlita said.

The commission plans to have another budget workshop in April.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.

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