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rate at 3.39 percent. However, many property owners will see higher tax bills because of increased property values countywide. "We submit our tax roll to the state of Florida tomorrow," Sarasota County Property Appraiser Bill Furst told the commissioners on June 25, "and we are submitting it at $87 million higher in the county." That works out to an estimated 6.5-percent increase in Sarasota County's taxable val- ues, compared to a 4.22-percent uptick last year. This marks the second straight year of increases after the values were hit hard by the recession. The county's general revenues, which include property tax payments, utility fees and other fees, are estimated to grow 4.4 percent to $371 million in the next fiscal year, which will begin Oct. 1. Although Harmer voiced optimism about the budget plan for 2015, he did caution the board that future infrastructure needs, such as bridge maintenance and road repaving, are going to be a concern in the near future. County Administrator Tom Harmer proposes adding 40 new full-time employees in the 2015 fiscal year. Image courtesy Sarasota County Sarasota News Leader June 27, 2014 Page 23