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Orange County feels the budget pain
Commissioners go for a second round of budget hearings Wednesday.
Tuesday, Commissioners heard the grim news. More than 70 million needs to be cut from the Orange County budget, and the Mayor's budget doesn't call for a tax increase to make up the difference. Commissioners like Bill Segal know where they don't want to cut.
"Public safety, fire and Sheriff are off the table. Everything else is on the table."
The County's health network is popular too. P-CAN clinics should get full funding. The cuts will come from not filling nearly 300 open jobs in places like the Convention Center and Head Start. As for that new park going in near your neighborhood, Mayor Rich Crotty says maybe later.
"When I became mayor, we had 30 parks. Now we have plans for 90 parks, and some of those will remain plans."
It gets worse next year with another 18 percent cut needed. Commissioners are in hearings all day trying to make decisions on what else has to go.
What others are saying
- Mike Synanfor clarification, the only involvement Orange County has in the venues comes from the tourist tax, and the money they are required by law to contribute towardds the downtown taxing district called the Community Redevelopment Agency. Negotiations to sunset that special taxing district went nowhere during the venues discussion. If Orange County were to end its involvement via the tourist tax, basically all they could do with the money instead would be to build a bigger convention center or advertize for tourism more
- CommissionWow, that was Bill Segal's comment? Not too in depth. Crotty is not a bad mayor, but I'm glad to see he likes to brag about the amount of parks "he" created in his terms. The Board overall seems to be doing a good job regarding the budget issue. Curious to see what is actually going to be cut.
- Orange County BudgetTry scrapping the useless three venues budget. Bad enough the Arena is already started, but the other two? Get rid of 'em. How many of us ordinary everyday folks who do most of the voting are gonna be able to afford anything to do with a performing arts center. That was pushed by upscale folks with money. Let them pay for it.
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