Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/143399
Sarasota News Leader July 12, 2013 Page 34 sources." Every bit of it goes into the "general Since the City Commission pulled parking meters out of downtown Sarasota, the Parking fund," which this year totals $53.2 million. Department now needs an annual $500,000 The budget City Finance Director John Lege subsidy to enforce regulations and maintain presented for next year is up almost $3 mil- parking garages. An unspecified "increase [in] lion, to $56.2 million. Two-thirds of that will parking revenues" would cut the subsidy in pay for "public safety," including the Sarasota half. Police Department and pensions for former city firefighters. In all, the general fund starts Parking is not the only city effort requiring a subsidy because it makes less than it costs. about $5.7 million in the red. The poster child for this used to be the Van A variety of solutions were presented to re- Wezel Performing Arts Hall, which required duce the deficit. The increase in the tax roll a $1.3 million subsidy six years ago. Today, it valuation of property is worth $741,515. And operates at a profit. But the Municipal Auditotransfers from other funds, such as those for rium does not; it needs an estimated $41,280 self-insurance and solid waste — which are in the next fiscal year to stay in the black. normally independent — will kick in another And the Payne Park Auditorium poses a dehalf a million dollars. A "refinement" in police cision point for the City Commission: Spend pension calculations is worth another half-mil- $110,981 to keep it open next year or close it. lion. And the county School Board is kicking in $312,248 to fund school resource officer po- The city could dip into its reserves — in bureaucratic speak, the "revenue stabilization sitions dropped by the county sheriff. fund" — for $1 million to help plug the budget With all these "adjustments" and more, the gap. But even after all of that, "the hole" is still general fund is still $2.5 million in the hole. $1.2 million. While the budget stabilization The City Commission listens to a Parking Advisory Committee presentation on June 3. Photo by Norman Schimmel