Commission talks money, crime at budget workshop - WCTV

By: Mariel Carbone
June 14, 2017

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV)-- The Tallahassee City Commission held its second budget workshop for the 2017-2018 fiscal year, Wednesday.

Currently, staff estimate that there is a $4.5 million deficit in the budget, which they'll work to close to present a balanced budget. The deficit is a result of a general fund growth of $1.1 million and an expenditure growth of $5.6 million.

There are several contributing factors to that deficit. $1.9 million is lost to the general fund because of the recent cut of the business tax. There is also an increase of spending for employee pensions. And, an increase in spending for roadwork and sidewalk projects.

The commission has also committed to not increasing the millage rate. That will stay at $4.1 mils, and leave property taxes as they are.

"We agreed last year when we had the millage increase, that that was it. And last year, we lowered it a tenth of a mil because we thought it was bloated then. Now we need to live within the means," said
Commissioner Gil Ziffer.

To balance the budget, staff will look at several options including a consolidation of work forces, in-sourcing and outsourcing, employee benefit cost sharing and other ideas.

Ziffer also suggested cutting the employee raises from three percent to just two percent.

Other topics for discussion included crime, with the commission agreeing it is a budget issue.

Commissioner Scott Maddox requested an analysis of crime in the city, and the mechanisms to best fix it. Gillum said regular updates are needed from TPD, and stated that if additional resources are needed, they must be identified.

Ziffer requested $30 thousand in funding to support a “pre-arrest diversion program. It would help pay for counseling or other programs for those who commit non-violent crimes, instead of sending them to jail.

"You keep them out of the criminal justice system. Deal with the problems, whether that's drugs or alcohol, maybe an anger issue. And keep them from doing it again. It keeps them from the criminal justice system. We put people in jail at the cost of $70 thousand, $80 thousand a year,” said Ziffer.

Mayor Andrew Gillum said the government needs more updates from the Tallahassee Police Department, as TPD makes up one of the largest parts of the City’s budget.

“We’ve allocated the budget, now it’s important to see if real changes need to be made,” he said,

Gillum said if the recent violent crime is because of a resource issue, the Commission needs to know about it; likewise, if it is another issue, they also need to know about it.

Commissioner Curtis Richardson commended the department with its commitment to increasing community policing.

Staff hope to balance the budget by the end of June, and bring it back to the commission on June 28.

The first public hearing on the budget is set for September 13, with the final hearing and adoption set for September 27.

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