Leon County Approves $1.67 Million in Discretionary Spending

During the Tuesday March 10^th Leon County Board of County Commissioners meeting, the Board approved FY2021 discretionary funding spending in the amount of $1,669,500. The FY2021 funding is a 10.3% ($155,500) increase over the $1,514,000 level of discretionary funding approved in FY2020.

The approved spending impacts funding levels for the Community Human Services Partnership (CHSP), Commissioner District Budgets, special events sponsorships, and a line item for the Kearney/Homeless shelter.

The funding level for CHSP increased from $1.300 million to $1.445 million. The increase of $145,000 was recommended to be dedicated to the expanded Promise Zone.

The Promise Zone is one of the ten CHSP categories that fund human services programs in Tallahassee-Leon County.  The Promise Zone specifically funds programs within 11 census tracts with poverty rates that are consistently higher than the County’s average poverty rate. 

Under the FY2021 funding, CHSP organizations and new groups will be able to apply for the Promise Zone program, within four service areas that inlcude “youth services, family services, job training/placement, and health care.”

Some of the services which the new funding would help provide are after school programs, parenting skills classes or basic needs assistance, training in career skills and job placement, and help with those who have a lack of access to health care.

The only other increase in funding was for special events, which changed from $27,000 to $37,000. Special event funding is allocated to Celebrate America 4^th of July Celebration ($2,500), Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration ($4,500), NAACP Freedom Fund Award ($1,000), Soul Santa ($4,000) and County Sponsored Tables/Community Event Funds ($25,000).

The $10,000 increase in the “County Sponsored” events over last year was due to the continued success and the level of requests for County to support nonprofit events in the community.

The funding for the Commissioner District Budgets remained unchanged at $87,500, as did the $100,000 allocated to homeless shelter.

The $100,000 line item for the Kearney Ceneter is part of a Board approved five-year commitment of $100,000 per year to assist with the Center’s construction debt service.  This funding request, which began last year, was originally evaluated for CHSP funding, however, CHSP funding is restricted to service delivery and this request is a capital funding request.  Therefore, the funding is not CHSP eligible.