These are distasteful times for anyone who shares the responsibility for reconciling the bottom line. With the well-established exception of folks who ship their wares through the Strait of Hormuz, budgets are in the, well, tank. The proverbial wolf, brandishing a gas can and a bill for corn-diverting ethanol subsidies, bangs at every door. ...more

July 18, 2008

County Government Offers No Sympathy, Common Sense Re: Hernando County budget. ...more

July 17, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY -- County leaders are enduring the monetary equivalent of a root-canal operation as they contemplate shrinking the budget by 19 percent to reflect the downturn in the economy. ...more

July 15, 2008

A program that puts sculptures and paintings in public settings is once again being targeted by Hillsborough County budget cutters. ...more

July 11, 2008

Fresh Faces Needed I wish the people at the county would make a recording on tape. About this time every year, they start crying about the budget and using scare tactics. The best one is when it comes to education and schools. If Hernando County School Superintendent Wayne Alexander was so worried about the budget, how come he got a hefty raise? He said he did a good job. That's what he was paid for in the first place. They all cry about the budget, but no one wants to give up their fat paycheck to help the situation. ...more

July 9, 2008

SEBRING –– Some Highlands County roads may sit a while longer before they're repaved, and other proposed projects may be pushed back due to an anticipated shortfall in sales tax revenues. The local one-cent sales tax that shoppers pay is used to build and maintain many of the roads, bridges and some other buildings throughout the county. For this fiscal year, County Budget Manager Tim Mechling said he expects only $7.8 million of the $9.1 million in sales tax revenue to come his way. The 15-percent anticipated drop in revenues mean that the county's infrastructure fund will have to do with less. . Though Mechling declined to mention specific projects that could be on the chopping block because the the county commissioners have not decided yet, Mechling said the county may delay several planned road resurfacing and some new construction. "It's something we're still working out," he said. ...more

July 6, 2008

SEBRING — In a closed-door meeting last week, the owners and/or general managers of the top five hotels in this city met privately with new Highlands County administrator Michael Wright to make one request: don't get rid of Rocky Ellingsworth, the Highlands County Sports Complex manager. The hotel owners and managers all told Wright that Ellingsworth is almost single handedly responsible for filling most of their hotel rooms on many off-season weekends because he brings in first-class softball and baseball tournaments. They also said that league and tournament directors who had tournaments at the sports complex have told them they will cancel their tournament dates and hotel accommodations for the fall if Ellingsworth loses his job here. Many of the hotel owners and managers also said they've been told that some tournaments will leave and never come back if Ellingsworth isn't working here, and the teams will travel to whatever new location Ellingsworth works in to hold their weekend tournaments there. ...more

June 30, 2008

With the economy tumbling and many parents struggling to pay bills, thousands more youngsters are turning up at county recreation areas this summer to take advantage of free lunches. ...more

June 25, 2008

Plans are moving forward for a regional hurricane shelter and health care clinic in Hudson. ...more

June 25, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY Plans are moving forward for a regional hurricane shelter and health care clinic in Hudson. The county commission at a meeting today in New Port Richey awarded a $7.5 million contract to Spring Engineering and Bandes Construction to design and build the facility off Denton Avenue. The project is being funded with state and federal grants. According to the terms of the agreement, the shelter must comply with the latest federal standards, to withstand winds up to 200 miles per hour and the pressures of an F5 tornado. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has, however, exempted the facility from the more stringent rules, Assistant County Attorney Jane Fagan said, and the cost of construction may decrease in light of the exemption. ...more

June 24, 2008