Okaloosa looking for $9 million in cuts

CRESTVIEW - Okaloosa County commissioners have taken an early look at next year's budget reductions caused by the Amendment 1 tax reform and lower property values.

Commissioners had their second of four budget workshops Tuesday. While last week's workshop focused on the county's enterprise funds - departments funded entirely on revenues they bring in - Tuesday's session looked at the departments funded by property taxes.

The proposed budget for fiscal 2008-09 is slightly more than $303.93 million, a reduction of more than $9 million from this year.

Proposed reductions include capping salary increases at 2 percent, delaying some capital projects such as the county jail expansion and not purchasing new vehicles for the second year in a row.

"We're actually driving less miles and burning less fuel than we were this time last year," said John Vaughn, the county's fleet maintenance director.

Before last year, the county' tried to replace 20 to 30 vehicles a year after they were 12 years old or had been driven 120,000 miles. The county now has 84 vehicles with 120,000 miles or more and some with more than 300,000 miles, Vaughn said.

Commissioners anticipate they will start replacing vehicles in 2010. On Tuesday, they discussed purchasing a handful of hybrid vehicles next year to see how much of an effect they would have on rising fuel costs.

Commissioners also discussed reducing rent payments for the growth management department by closing its Fort Walton Beach office and moving its employees to Crestview. They also debated buying new computers only on an as-needed basis rather than allocating funds to each department.

Commissioners will have two more budget workshops next month. Public hearings on the budget have been scheduled for Sept. 9 in Crestview and Sept. 23 in Fort Walton Beach.

The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.