Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/231222
Sarasota News Leader December 20, 2013 Page 16 projected 2016 general fund deficit of $22.5 THE ADMINISTRATOR'S BUDGET million would be reduced to $18.6 million. For Robinson, one good indication is the The county has been using funds from its action taken by Interim County Administrator economic uncertainty reserve to balance the Tom Harmer to "conserve money whenever budget since the Great Recession put prop- possible." erty values on a slide. "It's a message that is different than the previRegardless of the new data, Commissioner ous administration," Robinson said. Christine Robinson said she wants to see the Harmer will be presenting a preliminary county budget kept conservative, and that budget to the County Commission in June. includes trying to trim expenses. "During the [County Commission] retreat "The past two years we spent more in reserves [on Dec. 5], he called it 'the administrator's than we did during the entire recession," noted budget,'" Robinson noted. "He is taking ownership for that budget." Robinson, known as a fiscal conservative. Robinson said key decisions during upcoming budget workshops will determine the future financial health of the county during the economic upturn. "We still need to be very careful," Robinson pointed out. In an interview this week with The Sarasota News Leader, Harmer listed a few of the ways county staffers are trying to keep expenses down, including closely reviewing employee travel; re-considering filling some vacant A chart prepared by the county's Office of Financial Management for a September budget workshop showed projections for future general fund deficits based on state property value estimates at the time. Image courtesy Sarasota County