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Sarasota News Leader February 22, 2013 Page 18 of revenue, you create more money going into Dorfman: And I don���t think the crisis will be solved this year or next year. There are ceryour budget. tain items in the budget, things we���ve spoken That���s normally considered a tax. about, that I would eliminate. I don���t think Dorfman: Yes, but it goes into the budget. that will make massive cost savings. But there Property taxes. Business taxes. Penny sales are items. You mentioned the police review tax ��� that and everything else. I���m an advo- boards, I don���t see much of a need for them. cate of bringing more business in and growth There���s $60,000 to pay the man who���s running it. into the city to generate more tax income. We���re in a budget cycle right now. If you are elected, you will participate in establishing the budget for next year. What can you do between now and Oct. 1, when the new fiscal year starts, that would generate sufficient commercial income to cover the deficit? Without an absolute encyclopedic knowledge of the budget, I couldn���t tell you what else to cut. There are things I see that I would look at. Again, I���m not an advocate of raising taxes. ��������� The city continues to run a deficit in its annual budget, making up the difference Dorfman: I don���t see anything happening from reserves. Will you raise taxes, cut between now and the first of October, other services or continue tapping into savthan going through the line items. The budget ings? is established; there���s nothing I can do about Lumpkin: Those are all tough options. The acit. I cannot cut the budget. I cannot eliminate countant in me has a problem passing a budthings in this year���s budget. get that���s in the red and dipping into reserves. Not this year���s budget. You���re right: It���s I don���t believe we can tax our way out, but we fixed. But budget workshops are going to may have to consider, among other things, a begin probably very soon after elections. modest increase in the millage rate. I don���t You will be privy to the development of see that as something forever, but in my mind, the budget that begins Oct. 1. These are for a season, that may be something we can���t the kinds of decisions you will have to throw off the table. make: Do we cut services? Cut staff? If we continue cutting services, you are talking Raise taxes? Dip into reserves? Turn it about the quality of our living, and how many over to staff to let them figure it out? more people can we cut? I stand in the line to It���s one thing to say we want more busi- pay my water bill, and staff is overwhelmed. ness, and grow our way out of this, but I know years ago you had more [people]. I know we have fewer people doing the work. you have to build the buildings that will I don���t know if that���s a good option. pay the taxes, and that���s a long-term process. We���re in a short-term, today, I don���t believe in raising taxes. God knows I crisis. don���t. But we have some hard realities. Obvi-