WHERE IS ALL THE MONEY GOING?
The legislature
raised much hope for equitable tax relief and reform for all property owners but delivered much less. And Manatee County,
while meeting the letter of the law, has come no where near meeting the tax reductions their constituents expected and continue
to demand.
In the Proposed Budget for 2007-08, Manatee County has proposed to cut the total property
tax funded expenses by $11 Million compared to last year. This achieves the Legislatively mandated minimum cut of 9% within
a budget of almost $600 Million. Does the County really need all this money to operate when during the past four years the
County’s revenues exceeded expenditures by a whopping $76 Million? It’s a questions taxpayers need to ask.
The County’s most recent audited balance sheet (09/30/06) shows an unreserved balance that appears to be $290
Million. Some of the $76 Million in excess funds may contribute to this massive accumulation of monies in the unreserved balance,
but the question remains, "Where is all the money going?" Is the County doing all it can to cut the fat from the
budget through a continuation of past budgeting practices?"
It is a question that taxpayers
need to ask because,.historically, County budgets have been presented for commission review showing current year budget vs.
proposed budget methodology. By using budget-year-to-budget-year comparisons, the way the County does, means that actual expense
criteria are relatively ignored and, consequently, bloat the budget beyond actual needs. This is why zero based budgeting
has become the industry and business norm.
In this time of economic retraction within all segments
of the county - personal and business, homesteaded and non-homesteaded -- the Coalition Against Runaway Taxation (CART) asks
that the County Administration go back to the drawing board and closely examine the need for every dollar in the ‘07-‘08
budget and then return the excess to the County taxpayers in the form of an additional reduction in millage rates.
We as taxpayers have two remaining chances to be heard - September 11th & 25th. That is when Public
Hearing Meetings will be held at 6:00PM in the first floor Commission Chambers in the County Administration Building located
at 112 Manatee Avenue West in Bradenton.
You do have a voice in the final outcome - it is your
money and your government. You need to speak up and help to insure that the County spends your money wisely. It’s your
last chance for this year to participate in the process. Be there and be heard. If you want more information go to the Coalition
Against Runaway Taxation website www.CARTonline.org and click on the "Budget Analysis" button.
Don Schroder, President
Coalition Against Runaway Taxation
A
501(6)(C) Corporation
