City Council’s budget season hasn’t kicked off in full, but already there is some pushback coming from a familiar source.
The Property Appraiser’s budget includes more than $365,000 this year for merit pool and competitive pay adjustments for its employees, which doesn’t sit well with most members of the council’s Finance Committee.
Leading the charge was John Crescimbeni, who said he struggles each year with budgets from constitutional officers and the independent authorities that have built-in pay increases of some form for their employees.
Pay cuts city employees took in 2010 haven’t been restored, he said, and increases haven’t been proposed. Other council members agreed with Crescimbeni’s concern.
Mayor Lenny Curry’s budget group rejected pay increases in the budget, with the exception of the property appraiser because of a timing issue.
“We’re kind of in a box with this budget,” said Crescimbeni.
Property appraiser offices across the state also have their budgets approved by the state’s Department of Revenue. Property Appraiser Jerry Holland told the group his office’s was submitted in May and received tentative approval. It stays that way until Aug. 15, when appeals can be processed.
The same type of issue happened last year with the office, which was headed by Jim Overton. His $9.78 million budget was approved by the state. Former Mayor Alvin Brown submitted a $9.68 million budget. And the one the Finance Committee recommended was $9.48 million, after cuts similar cuts were sought.
That dispute took place in September — just a few weeks before the Oct. 1 start of the fiscal year —and was headed toward an appeal before the state’s Florida Administration Commission.
But, with Overton wanting to spend $100,000 for outside counsel, compromise was found and the appeal bill withdrawn.
Holland told the group Monday his office’s budget increase was meant for productivity and efficiency. The increases would keep his employees from going to better-paying appraisal jobs in other counties and the private sector, while also rewarding productivity in roles that bring revenue to the city.
His office also wants three additional hires in the area of homestead exemption fraud, which he said he believes can bring a four to one return on investment.
The committee kept those hires in Holland’s budget, totaling about $188,000, but disagreed with the bumps in pay for others.
Mike Weinstein, city chief financial officer, said Curry’s budget team had the same concerns as council but didn’t feel comfortable making any future appeal to the state without council’s blessing.
Asked if he’d feel comfortable with pursuing the appeal, Weinstein didn’t hesitate.
“I would enjoy it,” he said.
But, Holland was in the opposite camp.
“I will be appealing your decision,” he told the committee, when asked if he could live with the city’s decision to amend his budget.
He said he believes the increases add productivity and ultimately would have better revenue payoff for the city. Holland bristled, though, when the topic of outside legal counsel came up. He said he had total faith in the Office of General Counsel to represent both sides and hiring outside help would be a waste of taxpayer dollars.
By having the conversation earlier in the budget process, it allows for the appeal to go to the revenue department directly instead of administration commission.
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