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Highlands Today

Sheriff, county disagree on budget

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By GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: July 5, 2009

SEBRING - Highlands County has already whacked its expenditures by $19 million, and another $8.8 million in cuts are needed to achieve a balanced budget.

Where should that money come from?

"We need to look to the constitutional officers," was one answer from Barbara Stewart, who chairs the county commission. She reviewed the sheets in the 1,176 page book released Wednesday afternoon. "We're all in this together."

"The clerk of courts has reduced his budget," Stewart said Thursday. "The tax collector's budget is fee-based. The property appraiser has made cuts. The supervisor of elections, well, you can't go year by year on that one, you have to go by election years.

"The sheriff. There wasn't much of a cut at all. You have to add in, not just the budget she presented, but other expenses and other funds. It's just about flat," Stewart said.

"Which is misleading," Sheriff Susan Benton responded on Friday.

The county's document adds items to her financials which she didn't put there, Benton contended, like $48,000 worth of liability insurance the county buys in case a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty. Or the county's match for grants, for which the sheriff is encouraged to apply.

"They vote to accept those grants," Benton said. "If they don't want the grants, don't accept them. The 911 costs - they're showing it on my side; 911 is their responsibility. Okay, let me give you back all the work."

Benton said she unsuccessfully tried to explain these points to Stewart last year, which caused controversy.

In reality, Benton said, her budget is 5.05 percent less smaller than the previous year.

"We have 21 positions less than we did last year," Benton said. Those cuts include four deputies.

"About $900,000 of the budget cut is really just a transfer back to the board," Benton conceded, "of the things that the board, by law, is required to fund anyway."

Florida law requires the counties to house the constitutional officers, the public defender, the state attorney and other personnel. But the other officers don't budget the maintenance cost of their buildings, she said.

"Except the sheriff's budget," Benton said. "Power. Water. Sewer. The sheriff's budget has always had all the maintenance costs. By law, it's the county's responsibility. We took the $700,000, and shifted it back to the county."

The county is also responsible for the jail, but the duty is delegated to the sheriff in most counties. She believes her office has saved $1.2 million in medical costs for inmates, and $300,000 has been moved to the county.

"Just by good work and great nursing," Benton said, "we've continued to reduce those.... medical costs for inmates."

the building has nothing to do with their 8 million through nowhere to the college

Benton found it interesting that County Administrator Michael Wright chose "that road through nowhere," instead of a new $11 million law enforcement building.

She was referring to Wright's budget message: "On the positive side, (the 2009-10 budget) ... proposes to construct the northern leg of the Sebring Parkway from the 90 degree turn to College Drive to take advantage of almost $1.2 million in 'use it or lose it' state funds."

The county must cut 17 percent of its 2009 total to arrive at a balanced budget. Will Benton cut more, if asked?

Benton said she clearly understands the plight of the county, and wants to help. But, she added, although she has spoken to Wright, "The truth is that we've had no communication from the board, so we don't know what they're looking for from us."

In fact, Benton added, "I had to ask for the (budget) document that was released."

The constitutional mission of government, Benton said, is to protect its citizens. Highlands County has one of the lowest crimes rates in Florida, she said. "And we'll let the county figure out how to pay for it."

ONLINE

The Highlands County budget can be accessed at www.hcbcc.net Click on the 'Budget' tab at the left of the webpage, then on FY 09-10 Requested Budget.

Highlands Today reporter Gary Pinnell can be reached at 863-386-5828 or gpinnell@highlandstoday.com.

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