Cuts In County Budget

The Highlands County commissioners said "no" to cutting the planned pay raises and funding for recreation, but did make 16 budget cuts suggested by county Administrator Michael Wright.

So that the property tax rate could be dropped from 7.33 mills to 7.10 mills, last-minute budget cuts were also made by the sheriff's office ($542,608), the clerk of courts office ($69,800), the supervisor of elections office ($16,910), and the tax collector's office (which will drop automatically due to the reduced millage rate).

The 16 cuts by the county commissioners, totaling $1.5 million, are listed below:

•Reducing travel and continuing education for county employees, $106,710;

•Eliminating replacement of the 12-year-old carpet in the Highlands County Government Center, $25,000;

•Eliminating purchase of a generator for back-up power at the county health department, $60,000;

•Not going ahead with purchase of back-up air conditioning for the county tax collector's main office, $30,000;

•Reducing $100,000 from the fund for right-of-way land acquisition for road and sidewalk projects;

•Cutting $32,316 in funding for work-study jobs for college students;

•Eliminating the PRIDE program, an awards program for exemplary, beyond-the-call-of-duty performance by county employee, with a 5 percent bonus award, for a savings of $25,000;

•Reducing the amount that will have to be paid into Workman's Compensation, $186,395 (county Administrator Michael Wright said this change was going to happen automatically);

•Reducing county contributions to Community Redevelopment Agencies in Sebring and Avon Park, $25,688;

•Reducing contributions to the county health department by $6,860 and by $6,701 to the Highlands County Industrial Development Authority/Economic Development Commission;

•Eliminating purchase of new furniture for the county Natural Resources Department, $3,500;

•Reducing money for outside firms or consultants working for the county engineer, $25,000;

•Reducing funds for copying old documents held by the county engineer, $40,050;

•Reducing funds for equipment maintenance for the Road and Bridge Department, $30,000;

•Reducing funds for equipment purchase in Road and Bridge, $200,000; and

•Cutting from $300,000 to $200,000 the funds held in reserve in case of increase in the costs of gasoline and diesel for county vehicles.