Before casting the lone dissenting vote, Commisisoner Robinson said, "I believe that we are taking a glide path in this county as to cutting our budget. I believe we need to start taking that glide path in health and human services. … In 2015 we may not see this money anymore."
“I think that [the programs] all are important, [but] I think we need to begin to understand our financial situation. Private sector could pick up on some of this," Christine stated.
Good for Commissioner Robinson.
You see this $4.8 million is borrowed money. Sarasota County had a budget shortfall of 6.2%. Rather than cutting the budget by 6.2% the commission elected to take money from reserve funds to cover some of the revenue losses. Programs, like these grants, could have gone a long way to balancing the budget and doing what Commissioner Robinson calls getting on a "glide path" because the money is just not there. This glide path is projected downward for years to come.
According to Sarasota Patch, Commissioner Joe Barbetta stated, "A dollar spent here saves us four or five down the road. This is a small amount of money, $4 million, but it probably saves us $20 million down the road. This is also a quality of life issue.” Note the word probably. Commissioner Barbetta has no idea of nor any way to measure savings. The county commissioners have no way of knowing that there are any savings down the road at all. All they know is that a certain agency got the money and perhaps serviced a certain number of individuals. This can be done better by the private sector or even other government agencies, like the School Board or county hospital.
Small amount of money? What is a "big amount" of money to Commissioner Barbetta? Of course when you are talking about other people's money the amount is always small to a politician.
It is sad when Commissioner Barbetta attacks conservatives who want government to live within its means as do common citizens and taxpayers. Barbetta using the false claim that there is 4 to 1 return in investment by awarding these grants is disingenuous.
The fundamental issue is this: charity is not a function of government.
Only one of the Sarasota County Commissioners gets it - Christine Robinson. It appears the majority of County Commissioners cannot bring themselves to only spend what they take in and are bent to borrow money in order to give it away.
