City and County Spending Take Different Paths

Now that both the City and the County has adopted a budget for fiscal year 2014, Tallahassee Reports has acquired the most recent budget documents and developed a table comparing spending trends between the two local governments since 2008.

A comparison of the County and City operational spending trends since 2008 are shown in the table below.

Since 2008, Leon County expenditures have increased by $7.4 million or 3.76% while the City of Tallahassee spending has increased by just over $80 million or 17.4%. The table shows that over the last three years Leon County spending has increased by just under $5 million and City spending has increased by approximately $45 million.

A graphical representation of Leon County spending, shown below, indicates that Leon County spending was relatively flat from 2010 through 2013, before increasing in 2014.

A graphical representation of City spending, shown below, indicates that City spending had dramatic increases in 2011 and 2013. In 2011 spending increased approximately $37 million over 2010 levels and in 2013 spending increased approximately $42 million over 2012 levels.

What are the major drivers of City spending during this period? The General Fund, which supports core city services like public safety and parks, increased by approximately $6 million over the period from 2008-2014.

It appears the major drivers of non-fuel spending during this period were the electric utility and sewer funds. Tallahassee Reports has requested additional data from the City to determine the exact dollar amount, but preliminary estimates indicate that these two funds increased by a total of $50 million from 2008-2014.

Tallahassee Reports will publish an update to this report when more data becomes available.

  city of tallahassee budget, leon county budget