Budget official: County to be short $12 million

Tuesday will be an unusual meeting of the Highlands County commissioners for three reasons:

They don't often meet on a fourth Tuesday.

During the meeting of the districts, which is usually just a let's-pay-the-bills-so-we-can-go-home motion, they'll decide whether to build two new fire stations. E.O. Koch Construction Co. is being recommended to construct a $681,000 station for the West Sebring Fire District and a $655,000 station for the Leisure Lakes Fire Department.

And thirdly, commissioners will get a first look at the 2010-11 budget, which they knew was going to be tough. According to a letter from Office of Management and Budget Director Bernis Gainer, the county is "facing a shortfall of between $12.1 and $12.5 million."

Last year, the commissioners laid off three people, decided not to fill a half-dozen other jobs, and used $6.7 million of the rainy day fund to fill the 2009-10 budget.

This year, there isn't $12 million left in the contingency fund, so drastic cuts - such as layoffs - may be necessary.

One reason why the budget is so short: a decrease in taxable values of both commercial and residential real estate has slipped 14 to 16 percent. That translates to about $5.5 million.

Sales tax collections are off by 1-2 percent, and gasoline tax collections have fallen as well. Finally, the county expects less money from the state, which is facing a $3 billion shortfall itself.

"We need to be very careful in using reserves," last year's chair, Barbara Stewart, pointed out in July. If the recession deepens, the 2011-12 budget could be even more troublesome than FY 2010.

Last year, as commissioners were arguing for saving jobs, Stewart and Carlson pointed out that it may be absolutely necessary to lay off workers in 2010.

Next year is here already.