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Hillsborough Budget Proposal Would Cut More Than 100 Jobs

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By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 4, 2008

TAMPA - More than 100 county jobs, including 12 upper-level positions, would be eliminated under a budget proposed today by Hillsborough County Administrator Pat Bean.

The job cuts are part of Bean's efforts to cover $87 million in revenue losses from Amendment 1 and the economic slowdown.

Altogether, Bean said, she was eliminating 408 positions, but that 308 of those are vacant. She said she hoped she would be able to place some of the remaining 100 employees in other county jobs. Another 41 full-time positions will be made part time to save money.

The proposed budget also calls for lower-than-normal raises.

One of the positions cut as part of the budget reductions was that of Deputy County Administrator Wally Hill. After the commission meeting, Hill said he didn't blame Bean for cutting his job.

"Pat made it very clear that the burden of these cuts was not going to fall just on the lower ranks, but that there would have to be cuts in the managerial ranks as well," Hill said.

Other management-level job cuts are proposed for these departments: Human Resources, Economic Development, Debt Management, Planning and Growth Management, Health and Human Resources, Real Estate, and Parks, Recreation and Conservation. The management cuts will save an estimated $1.4 million a year.

Bean is also recommending that county cost-of-living raises be held to 2.5 percent, compared to the 3.5 percent given last year.

"I will remind you," Bean told commissioners, "there are increases in the health care costs that will be hitting our employees as well."

County commissioners, who make the final decision on cuts, will hold a workshop on the budget Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The first public hearing on the budget will be Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m. at the County Center downtown. The commission will approve the final budget Sept. 18.

To see the full text of the proposed budget, go to www.hillsboroughcounty.org.

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

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