TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Pinellas Sheriff Proposes $25 Million In Budget Cuts

ADVERTISEMENT

By RAY REYES of The Tampa Tribune and SAMARA SODOS of News Channel 8

Published: May 22, 2008

Updated: 05/22/2008 11:45 pm

CLEARWATER - Pinellas County Sheriff Jim Coats announced a proposal Thursday that would slash $25 million from his agency's 2008-09 budget.

Coats' proposal would eliminate 161 jobs, 59 of which are in law enforcement, 34 in corrections and 68 that include civilian support staff.

Coats was asked by county commissioners to make concessions in his budget due to falling revenues expected from a revamped property tax structure voters approved in March.

The sheriff said that he is worried about the cuts because he says they support programs that keep criminals off the streets.

According to Coats' proposal, positions in the following programs will be reduced: the DUI program; traffic enforcement unit; community policing; youth services unit; and a weekend boot camp program.

Another program that will cut positions is Project Success, which helps jail inmates combat drug addictions when they return to the community. Katherine Dixon, who just graduated from Project Success, said eliminating the program is a mistake.

"If this program is cut, it would be a disadvantage to a lot of girls and we just can't give up on those," Dixon said.

"These programs have been in place a long time," Coats said. "And it's a shame, due to a loss of revenue, that we can't support these programs."

Other cuts include: reducing two positions in the environmental lands unit; reducing five positions in the sexual predator and offender tracking unit; and reducing the number of school resource officers, crossing guards, detectives, the marine unit and victim advocates.

The proposed budget Coats presented to commissioners today totaled $260 million. The budget will be finalized by September and implemented by Oct. 1, the sheriff's office said.

Reporter Ray Reyes can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or rreyes@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT