ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - This evening, in the first of two required Public Hearings to adopt the FY16 Budget, the Alachua County Commission unanimously approved the Tentative Budget, which includes $190 million in taxing funds.
In light of new revenue from a property value increase of approximately 2.9 percent, the Commission has called for a modest decrease in the General Fund Millage Rate. New revenues will be used primarily to cover healthcare and Florida Retirement System (FRS) increases for both the Commission Departments and all of the Constitutional Officers.
All Commission Departments and the Constitutional Officers (the Sheriff, the Property Appraiser, the Tax Collector, the Supervisor of Elections, and the Clerk of the Court) will receive a budget boost over last year's adopted budget.
Budget highlights include:
- A 75 percent increase in road repair funds from all taxing units (from $2 million to $3.5 million)
- Three new rescue units ($769,000, offset by $536,000 in revenue)
- Covering healthcare and FRS increases for Commission Departments and the Constitutional Officers ($2.13 million)
Three new positions and one new program for the Sheriff ($212,000)
- Supervisor of Elections increase for Presidential Primary ($441,000)
- Building renovations for the Tax Collector ($260,000)
- Property Appraiser increase for new vendor to aid in assessments ($133,000)
- Increase in Mental Health funding ($150,000)
- Expansion of Solar Power on County Buildings ($300,000)\
- Required increase from the State for juvenile detention costs ($220,000)
View the FY16 Tentative and FY17 Planned Budget.
The second and final Public Hearing will be held at 5:01 p.m. on September 22, 2015. The hearing is in the Jack Durrance Auditorium located in the County Administration Building located at 12 SE 1st Street, Gainesville, FL.
The public is encouraged to attend meetings, view them live on Cox Channel 12, or on the County's Video on Demand website.
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For more information, contact the Alachua County Communications Office at 352-374-5204.