After numerous budget workshops, town hall meetings, recommendations from citizens, and city commission votes, the City staff released the budget that City Commissioner’s will consider at the last scheduled public hearing tomorrow at 6:oo pm.
And guess what?
The latest proposal spends more money than the original budget proposed by the City Manger back in June which included a 27% property tax increase.
How is that possible you say? After the cuts in pay raises and the BP settlement money, one would think the spending would go down.
That did not happen.
Here are the facts.
The original budget proposed by City Manager Anita Favors-Thompson called for spending $704 million in operations. The budget released today calls for spending $706 million.
What is driving the increase?
TR has determined that savings in the general fund, of about $2 million, has been surpassed by a $2 million increase in sewer fund expenditures and a $1.2 million transfer from the general government deficiency fund to pay for the recently awarded COPS grant.
That leaves an increase of about $1 million that is unexplained at this time. TR is investigating.
The use of the deficiency funds to pay for recurring expenses goes against the positions that Mayor Gillum and Commissioner Ziffer have taken at commission meetings and in public forums.
The original capital budget proposed by the City Manager called for spending $143.4 million. The capital budget released today calls for spending $145.0 million.
TR is looking into the reason for the capital budget increase.
BREAKING NEWS: City’s Latest Budget Spends More Than City Manager’s Original Budget added by Staff on
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James Anderson has it correct – in this bastion of liberalism it will NEVER get better. On top of the liberals we have the good old boy network in Tally. I’ve been here 25 years and have seen things go from bad to worse. It really is sickening to see what these people get away with. Thank God for TR!
Who are the silly citizens?…..The “Tax Payers” paying for it!!!.Maybe if we had someone that has run a business and not a bunch of politicians who can’t do simple math would be a big help!
Silly little citizens learn your place or you shall pay more, and who do you think you are to question our authority!
This is Incredible! But I am not surprised. Show Anita Favors-Thompson the EXIT door. Any Commissioner who votes for ANY property tax increase is a disgrace to this city.
Preston Scott hit the nail on the head – there needs to be an INDEPENDENT audit of all the city’s finances, the shell-game revenue practices, and shadowy budget process. At this point, city officials are beyond any self-imposed ethics or restraint, and the FDLE and/or other Florida state investigators must be called in. However drastic that may seem, this city’s government simply will not change it’s corrupt ways no matter how many or how much the citizens demand reforms, and we need legal intervention from outside state agencies. Perhaps with enough appeals to Governor Scott, he can set that process in motion.
On a separate but relevant topic, the Visit Tallahassee folks and the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce must be either laughing or crying at the progressively (no pun intended) uphill slope they must climb due to this city’s devious, collusive management. And Tallahassee’s recent push to attract retirees? You can forget that! With so many other well-managed, financially advantageous, and beautiful Florida cities to choose from, what possible attraction can Tallahassee hold with it’s soaring violent crime, taxes, and economic struggles? Like it or not, that is the picture we show to the world, and unless we change it, that view will remain or worsen.
As long as we live in the cesspool of liberalism nothing will ever change. They will raise taxes every year.
Re: “City manager needs to be fired and commissioners replaced.”
I’ll second that. They must be building their resumes for Federal jobs.
i agree w/Preston: the City of Tallahassee needs an independent audit of all of its finances and practices.
How about an inspector general?
City manager needs to be fired and commissioners replaced.
I have no idea who or how, but the City of Tallahassee needs an independent audit of all of its finances and practices. There has to be an attorney out there that understands the ins and outs and will help find a solution by sorting through the maze and giving us a direction. We cannot rely on Commissioners dealing with this because they have shown that, collectively, they are unwilling to stop the madness.
It seems like everyday the fish stinks worse. What is going on at the city? There must be accountability – we just need to throw them all out!