DeLand commissioners focus on employee retention, capital needs as budget outlook tight

At a strategic-plan budget workshop, the City of DeLand heard staff projections showing slower taxable-value growth and falling state revenue and used the session to set priorities for the fiscal-year budgeting process.

Staff member Dan summarized the preliminary fiscal picture: "As far as state revenues go, we're also seeing a kind of leveling off as well as a decrease, state sales tax," and said an early estimate from the property appraiser showed about a 7.5% taxable-value increase and roughly $58,000,000 of new construction — numbers staff called preliminary and subject to revision.

The nut of the discussion was how to close an early projected deficit while funding personnel, operating-cost increases and a large capital request list. Dan presented estimated costs including a 50-cent minimum-wage increase to $17.25…