Projected income and expenses for 2020 show a shortfall of nearly $9.5 million dollars for Hernando County government. County Commissioners are scrambling to cover the red ink, by raising taxes or by cutting county expenses or a combination of both.
In a recent Facebook post, County Commissioner Steve Champion posted the following:
What’s interesting in looking at these figures, in 2004 Hernando County had a population of 149,678. In 2019, our population figure is over 182,000 — an increase of 17.77%.
Over the same 15 years, tax revenues have increased from $67,187,864 to 92,944,694, almost a 28% increase.
During the same period, county expenses have increased from $67,736,545 to $98,574,278, a 31.5% increase. If you extrapolate 2020 expense figures, it’s over a 35% increase.
Looking at Hernando County’s increase in population and comparing that percentage increase to the increase in Revenues and Expenses, Commissioner Steve Champion has concluded that Hernando County has a spending problem.
The problem commissioners are having, where do you cut? At least one commissioner is asking for the public’s input. You can email him at SChampion@HernandoCounty.us.
Or, do commissioners just bite the bullet and raise taxes?
