As legislature considers property tax cuts, Santa Rosa enacts hiring freeze
Commissioners discuss shelving project to replace courthouse
BY FRANKLIN HAYES Gulf Breeze News franklin@gulfbreezenews.com

Santa Rosa County Commissioners are expecting huge budgetary cuts from the state level and they are expecting them very soon. Commissioners took action Thursday, March 22 and implemented a hiring freeze for all non-essential positions in an attempt to show Tallahassee lawmakers that they are serious about operating efficiently.

"This county runs a pretty tight ship," said Commissioner Robert "Bob" Cole, who previously served on the county's budgetary committee. Cole consistently offers an open invitation to anyone that would like to view the county's budget records.

As commissioners openly discussed how they could cast a favorable image of themselves on the state legislature, the elected officials also began to consider the consequences of derailing needed improvements. A new bill proposed by the Florida House of Representatives could result in a constitutional amendment that would replace a portion of homesteaded property tax that supports school districts with a 1-cent higher sales tax. The proposal would also roll back taxes on all properties to the 2004 level instead of 2001, as an original plan intended.

Just as Pensacola City Council members contemplate life without the maritime park, Santa Rosa officials briefly discussed the absence of one of their major capital improvements.

After Commissioner Tom Stewart suggested the countwide hiring freeze at last Thursday's meeting, Commissioner John Broxson said: "I also suggest we don't pursue the courthouse any longer."

Chairman Stewart was the only other commissioner to voice his opinion at the Thursday meeting about the proposed replacement courthouse, saying he did not support a motion abandoning the project entirely. He then suggested selling surplus, county-owned land as an alternative.

In a later interview, Commissioner Gordon Goodin also agreed that the county needs to move forward with the courthouse replacement, regardless of what happens in Tallahassee.

"We've got to continue making plans," Goodin said. " To wait and see could be a big waste of time… We need to make our plans and then see what affect the bill has on our plans."

Commissioner Goodin also discussed his stance on the county budget passed last year. Goodin was the only commissioner to vote against last year's approved budget and millage rate.

"While I disagree with all four of you [about the millage rate], to your credit, you were following the logic of Governor Bush," Goodin said at Thursday's meeting. The commissioner compared the county's move to retain their property tax millage rate to the state's attempts to refill it's own reserves.

Another provision in the proposed bill would give voters an option to eliminate property tax by 2010. State legislators and the governor have considered replacing ad valorem taxes with a higher sales tax.

When Commissioner Gordon Goodin was asked if he thought Santa Rosa County voters would approve such a measure he replied: "If they're swapping property tax for sales tax, I doubt it."

"I know we are going to have to make some cuts," Goodin said. "The relief has got to go to the people that need it the most. This house bill does not give relief to those who need it - nonhomesteaded property owners."