It's Your Money

Last week several of our Board members reviewed the Sheriff’s proposed FY 2010 budget in a briefing similar to the official one given the County Commissioners. His staff’s presentation was professional and they effectively backed up answers to all of our questions. A major point of this budget presentation was that it is not just about spending money, but doing what is necessary to maintain a high level of professional law enforcement in this time of fiscal challenge.

Calls for “service”, a measure of the Sheriff’s workload, have recently been rising by an average of approximately 6% each year. A larger increase is expected in FY 2010 since statistics show crime always increases as the unemployment rate rises. The jail population, also the Sheriff’s responsibility, will also naturally increase for the foreseeable future. One would expect that, with the additional workload and inflationary pressures, the Sheriff’s FY 2010 budget would increase in lockstep. We were pleasantly surprised that the Sheriff is, in fact, budgeting for no increase for FY 2010 just as he has done for FY 2009, which followed a slight reduction in 2008. In fact, the FY 2010 budget is actually lower than for FY 2007/8. Because the Sheriff’s budget is 90% personnel costs there is only one way to effectively contain the budget – hold the line on wages and benefits. There have been no pay increases for salaried staff (management and all deputies above the rank of Sergeant) for the past two years and none are budgeted for FY 2010. No increases are budgeted for unionized personnel either, and the Sheriff will continue to operate with 35 positions left unfilled and has requested no new capital expenditures.

As to the service provided, property crimes have increased by approximately 8.2% over the past three years, not greatly different than the rise in population. However, there has also been a decrease of 22.4% in violent crime during the same timeframe. This feat, which is certainly a measure of our law enforcement efforts, was a large factor in Forbes magazine rating Martin County 11 th best in the nation for children in 2008 and NeighborhoodScout.com, recently naming Martin County as one of the top 20 places in the US to retire. Also, on the positive side of the budget, it is estimated the Sheriff’s Office will return approximately $500,000 to the County coffers in recovered funds and provide almost $1,000,000 worth of “free” inmate labor to County Departments.

There is no government operation that cannot be criticized or improved and we will be asking the Sheriff some additional questions on union contracts, benefit calculations, etc. in the near future. However, the performance demonstrated by the Sheriff’s Department as resources continue to shrink takes leadership, discipline, co-operation and teamwork. As others in the community have had to tighten their belts, the employees of the Sheriff’s Office are pulling together to do their part. We applaud and thank the Sheriff for his leadership and his employees for being good citizens as well as demonstrating competence at their jobs.

We can’t help comparing the Sheriff’s performance to other County budgets. For the past several Fire/Rescue contract negotiations the County Commissioners almost totally acquiesced to the IAFF.. They have received some 9% per year average compounded salary increase plus step and cost of living increases for the last 10 years. They got overtime approved for management personnel, paid “Kelly Days”, time off for union activities, and hazardous duty retirement benefits for lifeguards. Their job performance is outstanding and in times of plenty these actions were excessive but tolerable, at least to the voters. However, as all other County departments are being downsized, they got a contract extension that retained these benefits and a guaranteed annual 5% + cost-of-living increase through 2011. Also, 42 new Fire/Rescue personnel have been added in the last year alone.

It seems there hasn’t been a recent IAFF proposal the Commission wouldn’t approve. With that kind of fiscal leadership it’s no wonder the County will now have to raise taxes just to maintain reduced services. But, this isn’t an election year so nobody is looking for votes. It will be interesting to see what happens next year. Homesteaded voters and businesses rather than “snowbirds” will now be the ones seeing large tax increases. Maybe the Commission should look to the Sheriff for lessons on leadership - and help with how to win elections with a landslide vote.

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Last week a Committee of our Board of Directors selected the recipient of this year’s MCTA continuing student Scholarship Award. The deserving student is Ms Barbara Gayle Miller who is pursuing her associate degree in business administration at IRSC.  She is currently a sophomore maintaining a 4.0 GPA while receiving numerous awards for her community involvement and leadership.  She served as President of the Banner Lakes Residents’ Association, is a Board member of the Habitat for Humanity, A Cub Scout Den Leader, education co-chair for the Martin Luther King Celebration, a youth leader and Sunday school teacher at her church and a volunteer for after school and summer student programs. Well-done and well-deserved Ms. Miller!

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