Administrator recommends maintaining millage rate

MANATEE COUNTY — Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker plans to maintain the status quo in fiscal year 2015 as the county continues to cover its expenses by dipping into reserves.

Hunzeker presented his budget message to Manatee County commissioners Tuesday, at which time he recommended maintaining the same tax rate as in fiscal year 2014 — 6.2933 mills for property owners incorporated Manatee and 6.9102 mills for property owners in incorporated Manatee. One mill equals $1 for every $1,000 of assessed property value.

The roughly $520 million proposed budget includes an expected 6.5% to 7% increase in property tax revenues, which account for about one-third of budget revenues. However, the increase still will not cover expenses, meaning Manatee again will dip into its stabilization fund.

“We’re pleased that property values are returning to the area and the board’s economic development efforts are helping the community through the economic recovery,” Hunzeker said. “However, we’re still looking at another very tight budget for next year. We will continue to rely heavily on reserves for several more years in order to avoid reducing services that rely on property taxes to be funded.”

This year’s budget provides for about $1.4 million in unanticipated cost increases, particularly from changes to the cost-sharing arrangement for counties for the Division of Juvenile Justice and increases in required contributions to the Florida Retirement System, said Jim Seuffert, the county’s financial management director.

The proposed budget, which is about 1% higher than fiscal year 2014, also includes provisions for Manatee County employees to receive performance-based pay increases. No new positions will be funded by property-tax revenues.

Manatee County Sheriff Brad Steube has asked for funding for additional deputies to reach desired staffing levels. The proposed budget will fund eight deputies (compared with 12 requested) through the federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant program. Manatee County must provide a roughly 25% match, Seuffert said.

Seuffert said the county will have about $2 million less than in previous years for negotiating health care services, primarily with Manatee Memorial Hospital and Blake Medical Center, for indigent care.

The 2015 budget also includes enhancements to Manatee County’s public transit system, with route improvements along State Road 70 and in North Manatee.

Manatee County will hold its first public hearing on the budget from 6 to 8 p.m. June 12.

Two additional public hearings will be held in September, before commissioners adopt the final fiscal year 2015 budget.

For more information on the proposed budget, visit mymanatee.org/budget.

Contact Pam Eubanks at [email protected].

MANATEE INVESTS IN RADIO SYSTEM

Manatee County’s proposed 2015 fiscal year budget proposes few new items, except for the P25 Public Radio System.

The technology for Manatee’s nearly 30-year-old radio system has become obsolete, and Manatee has partnered with Sarasota County to fund about $25 million in equipment, which will be used by all public safety departments — fire, emergency medical services, law enforcement and the Emergency Operations Center, for example. Manatee’s portion of the cost is estimated to be between $15 million and $18 million, while Sarasota will pay between $18 million and $19.6 million.

“It will provide much better public radio coverage to the eastern and southern portions of the county,” Manatee County Financial Management Director Jim Seuffert said.

The project will be financed with a loan or with bonds, Seuffert said.

BUDGET SCHEDULE

Manatee County will host several public budget workshops to address budget issues.

Budget workshops, which will be held at the county’s administrative building, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, are scheduled as follows:

1:30 to 5 p.m. June 4: Fund Summary Review. This presentation will provide a summary of the county’s major financial funds. The county’s financial structure is made up of about 150 funds, each of which is a self-balancing entity.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 10: Decision Unit Review

1:30 p.m. June 11: Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Budget Review

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 12: Capital Improvement Program

6 to 8 p.m. June 12: Budget Public Hearing

1:30 to 5 p.m. July 30: Special meeting on budget reconciliation and adoption of a tentative millage rate