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Walton County - Proposed Budget
07/11/08 - 12:36 PM
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The new county budget proposal doesn’t look so new.  Thursday, Walton County Commissioners approved a proposal that allows for zero increase from last year, but some say with the rising cost of gas and maintenance, it could be at the expense of law enforcement.

“The increase in fuel of course we went over the budgeted amount this year,” said Sheriff Ralph Johnson after pleading his case for a $900 thousand increase over last year.

“They want zero growth,” he said, “and it’s impossible to have zero growth when you operate 24/7 with fuel costs have escalated like they have.”

Johnson says his goal is to accommodate high costs, improve his fleet, and give deputies a 3 percent raise.

Walton County Commission Chair Larry Jones says their overall budget will be about $11 million less than it was 2 years ago, to enable them to keep millage rates the same; the third lowest in Florida at 3.3 mils.

“Even as times are more difficult,” he said, “the costs of everything increasing, the revenue continues to go down.”

Jones says the county is getting $5 million less in revenue.

“It is a challenge,” he said, “We’re asking those to do the same thing we did and is to step up and make tough decisions and tighten the belt and work to have the most efficient department they can.”

Johnson says a $15 million budget as opposed to almost $16 million may force him to make tough choices, possibly letting go deputies.

“When the economy gets worse crime goes up,” he said, “So we’ve got to provide a budget to keep the public safe and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

Jones says it will take effort from all county departments to make the budget cuts work.

“It’ll be up to him to make the decisions of where he makes those cuts or adjustments as he needs to,” said Jones, “We have confidence that the Sheriff will make good decisions for his department.”