Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/141988
Sarasota News Leader July 4, 2013 Page 17 ing property near Interstate 75 and constructing a building. Her goal, she said, is to settle on "the best, most cost-effective way" to provide the tests. Already, she noted, it is apparent a person needing to take a road test will have to make an appointment for that. Because of the changes in staffing, she continued, her budget probably will have to go up "a little over a million dollars" in each fiscal year beginning in FY 2016, depending upon whether the county decides to pay for the capital expenses outright or bond them. "The unfortunate piece of this," Ford-Coates A map shows the location of the county's R.L. pointed out, is that the fees her office collects Anderson Administration Center in Venice. Image courtesy Google Maps are projected to increase only $400,000 a year. "This is an unfunded mandate, unquestion- When Commissioner Christine Robinson ably," she told the commissioners. asked whether the state's tax collectors are Along with driver licenses, the Tax Collector's working with the Florida Association of CounOffice sells hunting and fishing licenses and ties (FAC) on the fee change at the legislative handles business taxes and motor vehicle reg- level, Ford-Coates responded that she had asked the County Commission in the past to istrations. include that as one of its top legislative priorHowever, the Florida Tax Collectors Associ- ities. ation has made its No. 1 legislative priority a change in how driver license fees are col- Robinson asked County Administrator Ranlected, Ford-Coates pointed out. Right now, dall Reid to make sure the county staff memcounty tax collectors impose an extra $6.25 bers who oversee the commission's legislafee to serve customers seeking new licenses tive priorities provide the board an update on or renewals. The rest of the money goes to the those efforts relative to the driver license fees. state. "That's not fair," she added. The state Both Robinson and Commissioner Nora Patneeds "to provide the funding to fully cover terson — who are active in the FAC — said the cost of our operations." they would work with that association, too, Otherwise, Ford-Coates told the board, "I do have to say that it makes total sense to me to move drivers' licenses to the local level. … It is the right place to provide these services to our citizens." Nonetheless, she added, "It's painful to get there." to try to rectify the situation. CENTRAL SITE OPTIONS Regarding a new central location for drivers' license tests Commissioner Charles Hines suggested Ford-Coates and her staff look at the