With the county's last budget cycle now in the rear view mirror, it's time for the local business community's focus group members to focus on next year, which promises to be a bumpy road. ...more

October 29, 2009

The U.S. Navy has indefinitely suspended its plans to use live bombs at the Avon Park Air Force Range due to budgetary issues, said Lt. Cmdr. Philip Rosi, public relations officer for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command. ...more

January 16, 2009

The U.S. Navy has indefinitely suspended its plans to use live bombs at the Avon Park Air Force Range, due to budgetary issues, according to Lt. Cmdr. Philip Rosi, public relations officer for the U.S. Fleet Forces Command. ...more

January 15, 2009

Except for scattered recordkeeping problems, an audit of the county's payroll operations showed no major flaws. ...more

January 15, 2009

County commissioners got the grim news Tuesday from their budget director: the general fund faces a $1.6 million revenue shortfall from what was originally budgeted for fiscal year 2009. ...more

January 7, 2009

An analysis by the county's budget office shows Hernando County's general fund will experience about $1.6 million in projected revenue shortfalls over what was budgeted for fiscal year 2009. ...more

January 3, 2009

SEBRING — In Lake Placid, a hiring freeze. In Sebring, no money for the Boys and Girls Clubs. At the South Florida Water Management District, web casts instead of off-site meetings. In recessionary times, with constitutional budget cuts and reduced sales tax revenues, governments are saving money any way they can. Highlands County Last year, Vicki Pontius, Highlands County's parks and recreation director, closed the R.K. Butler Campground on Route 721. "It's a nice facility," Pontius said. "People can still use the boat launch and the basketball court, and there's a picnic table." ...more

February 15, 2008

Amendment 1, which was approved by a majority of voters in Tuesday's presidential primary, could reduce property taxes across the state by as much as $9.3 billion over the next five years by shrinking the tax base of local governments. ...more

January 31, 2008

On the eve of Florida's presidential primary, two local Republican lawmakers talked property tax relief, state budget challenges and homeowners insurance to about 30 people in a town-hall meeting. ...more

January 29, 2008

David Hamilton is back in Crow Wing, Minn., where he will spend the next several weeks wrapping up business and making sure his transition from his job as county administrator there goes smoothly. ...more

January 26, 2008