Our View - July 19, 2008

“Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.” – John Donne, an English poet.

So what does a tolling bell have to do with local news today?

Well, it’s budget time and the writing is on the wall for Santa Rosa County and other like-counties across Florida.

Property Appraiser Greg Brown has released a preliminary report indicating the tax base in Santa Rosa County has decreased by roughly $600-million.

That doesn’t sound like much when you look at the fact that taxable property went from $6.3-billion to $5.7-billion, effectively removing some $5.4-million in ad valorum revenue.

Now, to break all of this financial-ese down to simple English: “The political climate for the upcoming Aug. 26 election changes quite a bit.”

Who could be hit by all of this? Any incumbent on the ballot.

Why? Before local citizens journey to the polls, officials must start talking about the budget and the tax rate applied to county residents and how it will hit those residents’ wallets.

We definitely understand the pinch county commissioners, sheriffs, and other officials across the Sunshine State are feeling. Everyone will feel Amendment 1...down to the smallest kitten at the animal shelter.

Things are going to get tight and the weeks ahead may only serve as the calm before the economic storm.

It will be hard to say what cuts will be made, but Santa Rosa County has taken some steps to do just that.

Already this year, before the budgeting process even began, 78 positions were eliminated.

Funds directed to organizations like the Red Cross, County Health Department, and many other agencies were cut and are could be facing another slash soon.

Commissioners warned voters they could get more than what they bargained for by passing Amendment 1.

Well, here is where the plot thickens.

Commissioners didn’t remind citizens they could, if necessary, recover the losses with a higher millage rate.

By doing this, Santa Rosa would regain the $5.4-million lost with Amendment 1.

How can they do that? Thank your State legislators. In a 2007 special session, state leaders set the groundwork, allowing them to maintain funding levels through higher taxes along with an increase equal to the Florida Personal Income Growth percentage. The formula factors in new construction as well.

Doesn’t this make you wonder why the impact fees were altered just a little in hopes of stimulating construction?

If all of this comes down the pike, then Amendment 1 will prove to be yet another example of election futility.

The question we all need to ask ourselves is: how hard do we want to bite the bullet?

What might not seem so bad today could get much worse in budget years 2009, 2010, and beyond.

We’re likely to see fewer and fewer dollars available to fix the ever growing number of problems.

Our state leaders were virtually silent about eliminating the State tax holiday in preparing for hurricanes and purchasing school supplies.

We shouted a warning about Amendment 1 when it was presented to Florida residents. We reminded people things seeming to be “too good” are often just that.

With every additional penny to be pinched, we hear another toll of the bell. And we don’t need to tell you...it tolls for all of us.