Takeaways from Escambia County's Proposed Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget

The Escambia County Board of Commissioners held a Budget Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday, July 14 to discuss the Proposed Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget.

Escambia County will begin operating under the new budget on Oct. 1, which is the start of the 2021 fiscal year. View a copy of the Proposed Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget PowerPoint presentation here. 

Key Takeaways from the Proposed Fiscal Year 2020-21 Budget

• Total proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2020-21: $573,009,020
• The budget is higher as the county has placed expenditures in this budget instead of waiting until a roll forward budget is provided in November. Last year's budget included a roll forward budget of $190 million.
• The major increases are in:
  
  • Library Services for the Bellview Library ($3,627,734, including personnel)
  • New Jail Construction ($18,576,000)
  • Lost III ($35,000,000)
  • Bob Sikes Toll Bridge Repair and Maintenance ($2,526,589)
• Total number of job positions funded: 2,028 (up 34 positions from Fiscal Year 2019-20). This increase in employees is due to operating the new jail and the new Bellview Library.
• Escambia County’s proposed FY21 county-wide millage rate is 6.6165-- no increase from last year
• Sheriff's Office MSTU - .6850
• Library MSTU - .3590
• There is no change in the Fire Assessment rates included in the Proposed Fiscal Year 2020/21 Budget. The current rates are as follows: Residential at $125.33 per dwelling unit, Commercial at .0526 per square foot with a minimum assessment of $125, Unimproved at $15.03 per parcel, plus $.03 per acre.
• A total of $1,489,581 is available for outside agency funding requests, which includes $145,700 for the Gulf Coast Kids House for abused children, $21,289 for the Emerald Coast Regional Planning Council and $39,188 for the general fund portion of Legal Aid Court Services. 
• The June 1 taxable value certification is 5.82% above the July 1 certification of the previous year, resulting in about $8.036 million more money. The county may appropriate 95% of this or $7.364 million. The changes between the June 1 and July 1 taxable value are not included in the Proposed FY20/21 balanced Budget of $573,009,020.
• State mandated expenses
  
  • $1.5 million for Medical Examiner
  • $4.07 million include in the budget for the DJJ mandate
  • $5.7 million for the Medicaid mandate
  • $145K for indigent cremation
  • $925k for state mandated Baker Act services
  • Escambia County was permanently reduced $1.6 million in CST by the Legislature
• Constitutional Officers budgets increases approximately $250k over the prior Fiscal Year: 
  • The final year of the Mediation Agreement with the Sheriff is $2.9 million.
  • The total increase for Constitutional Officers budgets is $3.1 million.

• There is $4.859 million included for payments to the city for the tax increment financing districts (TIF), which is an increase of $430,000 over the prior year’s estimate.
  
  
•  Major projects proposed to be funded: 
  • Manage 10 New Major Construction Projects – $18,325,000
  • New Direct Component (Pot 1) RESTORE Projects – $13,714,000
  • Capital Projects – Discretionary – LOST IV – $10,800,000
  • Road and Right of Way Maintenance – $9,334,500
  • Road Resurfacing – $5,044,000
  • Landfill Section 5 1B Design/Construction – $4,600,000
  • Inmate Medical Services and Food and Provisons– $3,865,500
  • Construction / Opening of the Bellview Library – $3,300,000
  • Pensacola Beach Maintenance – $2,592,410
  • Lee Street Sidewalk, Drainage & Sewer Project – $2,200,000
  • Emergency Medical Services – $2,070,690
  • Fire Rescue – $2,046,210
  • Pensacola Beach Park West Fishing Pier – $2,000,000
  • Parks Maintenance and Upkeep – $1,180,000
  • Employee Health Clinic Administration –$1,026,000
  • ECAT Fixed Route Operations Software - for scheduling, performance dashboard and operational efficiencies— $800,000
  • CRA Sidewalk Projects – $250,000
  • Summer Youth Employment Program – LOST IV – $200,000
  • Pensacola Humane Society - Low Cost Spay Neuter Program Partnership – $40,000

• Reserves: 

• There is a budgeted Reserve for Contingency of $17,503,898
• Reserves for Operating of $500,000
• $7,721,733 for stabilization and cash-reserve flow
• Sheriff Mediated Reserve allocation of $1,000,000 per the mediation agreement between the Board and the Sheriff
• The total budgeted General Fund reserves are $26.9 million.

Two public hearings to adopt the budget are tentatively set for Tuesday, Sept. 8 and Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 5:31 p.m. in the first floor Board Chambers at the Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building, 221 S. Palafox Place. 

Today's Committee of the Whole Budget Meeting will be available for viewing at myescambia.com/ectv and ECTV On Demand.