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Sheriff resubmits certified budget; commissioners agree to roll law-enforcement MSTU millage back to prior-year level
Summary
After the sheriff submitted a revised certified budget, county budget staff said they could lower the proposed law-enforcement MSTU millage back to the prior year's 3.72 mills; commissioners directed staff to implement that change in the workshop materials.
Audrey Fowler, Marion County budget director, told the board July 16 that the sheriff resubmitted a certified budget that reduced the sheriff’s earlier request and that staff had entered the revised numbers into the county system.
Fowler said the sheriff’s revised request and additional contract revenue the sheriff identified (contracts with the school board, private schools and the city of Dunnellon) meant the county could restore the MSTU for law enforcement from the proposed 4.07 mills back to the prior-year level of 3.72 mills. "With the board's consent, I can actually take this budget all the way down to the prior year's millage of 3.72 today, if that is your direction," Fowler said.
Why it matters: The law-enforcement MSTU funds patrol and public-safety allocations paid for within many unincorporated areas. Returning that MSTU to the prior-year rate reduces the tax increase residents would otherwise face and shifts budget pressure elsewhere (reserves or other revenue sources).
Details
- Fowler said the sheriff provided additional revenue through contracts with school boards, private schools and Dunnellon that meaningfully offset the sheriff's requested increases and helped make the roll-back feasible.
- The sheriff’s office also resubmitted a certified jail and emergency management budget; staff entered those certified numbers into the budget system before the workshop.
Board direction and next steps
Commissioner Bridal thanked the sheriff and budget staff for the cooperation and urged staff to implement the change in workshop materials. Vice Chairman Zalick asked whether the contract revenue fully offset administrative costs; Fowler said that question should be referred to the sheriff’s office when the sheriff presents his budget details.
Ending
The board indicated consent to the change and directed staff to reflect the MSTU rollback to 3.72 mills in the workshop documents; staff will present the final reconciled numbers before adoption.
