Tallahassee Reports has learned that since January of this year two assistant city managers, who were promoted under newly appointed City Manager Rick Fernandez, have recently received substantial pay raises. Cynthia Barber, who was being paid $125,084 in January, is now making $174,999.99 as an assistant city manger. That is a $49,916 increase, which equals […]
In a forum for candidates running for Superintendent of Leon County Schools, held by the Network of Entrepreneurs and Business Advocates (NEBA), former Leon High School principal Rocky Hanna finished first in the straw poll. Hanna was followed by Superintendent Jackie Pons and former Leon County school board member Forrest Van Camp. Over 120 people […]
The Leon County Board of County Commissioners held a workshop on June 14, 2016 and County staff presented the fiscal year 2017 proposed budget. The staff reported that “the preliminary FY 2017 budget totals $246,254,510 which reflects a 3.2 percent increase from FY 2016. As a point of comparison, the recently passed State of Florida […]
Budget Hawks, one of the groups working to overturn the 13% property tax increase adopted by the CIty of Tallahassee last year, issued a press release urging city commissioners to grant a request from the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce to eliminate the city business tax. Commercial real estate developer and founding Budget Hawk Russell Price […]
At Wednesday’s City Commission meeting, Commissioner Nancy Miller, who previously voted with Commissioner Curtis Richardson and Mayor Andrew Gillum to extend bar hours from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m., made a motion asking the Commission to reconsider that vote. The motion to reconsider the vote passed 4-1. Commissioner Curtis Richardson was the lone vote against […]
In a convoluted decision that is sure to keep the controversy surrounding the pension payments of former City Commissioner Debbie Lightsey alive, the City’s Independent Ethics Board dismissed a complaint filed by local businessman Erwin Jackson, but called for further investigation. The Ethics Officer, Julie Meadows-Keefe, recommended the compliant be dismissed “without investigation because it […]
On Monday night, the City of Tallahassee officially presented the FY2017 budget during a workshop at Walker-Ford Community Center. At the same time, ten miles away, three citizen driven budget groups held a meeting of their own in City Commission Chambers and presented the “Citizens’ Budget.” TR spent time at both meetings. Citizens’ Workshop in […]
The State of Florida employment report for May shows that Leon County lost 722 jobs. This follows a loss of 1,221 jobs in April. Despite these losses, the unemployment continues to fall. The rate has declined from 4.3% in March to 4.0% in May. This is due to a decrease in the number of people […]
A review of the FY2017 budget proposal by the City of Tallahassee reveals more revenue for the General Fund through an increase in property values, sales taxes and fees. The total new revenue collected in the General Fund is approximately $5.5 million. The budget also calls for approximately $7-9 million in new spending. Local media […]
TR has confirmed that citizens’ groups will hold a budget workshop at City Hall in the City Commission Chambers on Monday, June 20th, from 6 p.m. -10 p.m. The City Commission Chambers is available because the City Commission decided to roll out the FY2017 budget at the Walker-Ford Community Center located on the southside. A […]