Hernando commissioners approve 2014-15 budget
BROOKSVILLE — County commissioners officially put the fiscal year 2014-15 budget to bed at Tuesday’s second and final budget hearing.
Most of the budget balancing had been done two weeks ago in the first meeting so commissioners had to figure out where to find only $35,000 to balance the remainder of the budget.
They accomplished that by taking it out of two reserve sources: one set aside for capital projects and another for post-employment benefits.
This fiscal year’s budget stands at $423.5 million, or 7.4 percent higher than last year. The general fund portion is $99.6 million, up from $91.7 million last year.
To get there, the county and sheriff had to work together to close a $548,524 general fund shortfall.
Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis turned back $200,000. The county shifted money out of some projects, the biggest being $200,000 from the contingencies fund that was going to be used to help pay for the German Apprenticeship Innovation Training Center (ITC) project.
George Zoettlein, assistant county administrator of budget and business development, said he was pleased that the process was smooth and that both sides came to an amicable compromise.
“I think everyone worked together to make it work,” Zoettlein said.
The general fund millage rate rose slightly for the next fiscal year, from 6.9669 mills to 6.9912. Zoettlein said that is because the commissioners had previously agreed to zero out the millage for mosquito control and fold it back entirely into the general fund so that residents of Brooksville could once again receive mosquito spraying.
A mill is equal to $1 for every $1,000 in taxable value.
The 2014-15 fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
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