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Hillsborough Restores Funding For Parks, Elder Programs

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 31, 2008

TAMPA - Hillsborough County commissioners today restored millions of dollars in cuts to services for children and the elderly and created a property tax grant for veterans who rent their homes.

Although facing an $87 million budget shortfall due to property tax reform and a slow economy, the county received additional money July 1, when the property appraiser updated property valuations. After reductions for lower-than-anticipated sales tax collections and other offsets, commissioners had nearly $5 million to restore cuts recommended by County Administrator Pat Bean.

Commissioners restored 25 full-time positions that were recommended for part-time in the parks department, enabling after-school and summer recreation programs for school children to continue. Also restored was about $1 million in cuts to staff in the Aging Services Program.

Veterans who rent homes will be eligible for a $750 grant. Commissioner Jim Norman pushed the program, saying veterans should be able to take advantage of property tax breaks passed by the Legislature and by citizens in the Amendment 1 referendum. The grant program will cost the county an estimated $1 million.

Commissioners cut $534,000 from the Communications Department budget, well short of the $1 million cut that Norman had recommended. However, the department was able to give the county budget an additional $300,000 that a telecom company agreed to pay if the county television station would not use a broadband signal. Communications director Lori Hudson said the county was not using the signal anyway.

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

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