Calling it too cumbersome right now, county commissioners agreed to suspend efforts to craft a performance measurement program designed to monitor the efficiency of county departments. ...more

December 23, 2009

Aside from health-care reform, probably the most divisive issue in Washington today is the $787 billion economic stimulus program. ...more

December 12, 2009

Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance officials hold a lot of meetings, and the agency's records show that many include breakfast, lunch and desserts paid for by taxpayer dollars. ...more

December 11, 2009

Tampa Bay Workforce Alliance officials hold a lot of meetings, and the agency's records show many include breakfast, lunch and desserts paid for by taxpayer dollars. ...more

December 10, 2009

More than $98 billion in taxpayer dollars spent by government agencies was wasted, much of it on questionable claims for tax credits and Medicare benefits, representing an increase of $26 billion from the previous year. ...more

November 17, 2009

Recently, an article in the Huffington Post (posted Oct. 20) caught my attention because of its relevance to our county's decision to accept or reject a National Security Training Center. The report, written by Jo Comerford, summarizes the National Priorities Project's research on American military spending over the past two decades. It indicates that the U.S. Department of Defense spends as much as the next 14 countries combined on the military, and according to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 55 percent of next year's discretionary spending will go to the military. The United States has already used $915.1 billion in total Iraq and Afghanistan war spending. ...more

October 28, 2009

With a $28.8 million drop in revenue expected in the next fiscal year, Pasco County officials are asking the public to weigh in on the county's future during a series of two-hour meetings beginning today. The meetings will address ways to make local government more efficient, while touching on future planning, economic development and other issues. "Some of these decisions are being heightened by the [property tax] shortfall," said Mike Nurrenbrock, director of the county's office of management and budget. "Some of the questions are: If we need to reduce services, which ones? And what affect will that have? ...more

March 30, 2009

With the reduction in revenue and property values during the current economic downturn, the Pasco County Commission will be required this summer to make some tough decisions as to what services we will offer next year, the level of service to be provided and how we will pay for those services. Based on letters to the editor, e-mails and one-on-one conversations with residents, we realize we need to do a better job of explaining to our citizens the budget decision process. ...more

March 29, 2009

With a $28.8 million drop in revenue expected in the next fiscal year, Pasco County officials are asking the public to weigh in on the county's future during a series of two-hour meetings beginning Monday. ...more

March 29, 2009

Unless the White House comes to its senses, pilots at MacDill Air Force Base and other bases will have to continue flying Cold War-era refueling tankers for five years. ...more

March 17, 2009