Fort Lauderdale City Budgets -
We Provide....You Decide !
The following graph shows the Citys' "All Funds" Budgets from 1998/99 through 2007/2008.
The Citys' budget must always be balanced. Whatever they take in, they must either spend or save in a rainy day fund.
Starting in 2003, revenues skyrocketed mostly due to the increased value of real estate in the City. The charges for services (water, garbage etc.) also escalated during those years.
The tax rate has always stayed nearly the same, about $5 dollars for every $1000 of your property's value, but as your home and the commercial properties increased in value, the tax bills took off with them !
As the City took in more and more money, they found ways to spend it. The biggest increases were for salaries, fringe benefits, and pensions, which went up 24 % - from 24 million to 30 million - in one year.
Another big expense was for equipment (trucks, machines, upgrading water plants and the like). One year saw an astonishing 76% increase in equipment purchases.
Also, insurance costs rose 11% in one year and overtime expenses rose 12% in one year.
But this year will be different! With property values plumetting, and the State Legislature cutting, city governments will feel the pain. The days of Gravy Train budgets are over, at least for now.
The following graph shows the Citys' "All Funds" Budgets from 1998/99 through 2007/2008.
The Citys' budget must always be balanced. Whatever they take in, they must either spend or save in a rainy day fund.
Starting in 2003, revenues skyrocketed mostly due to the increased value of real estate in the City. The charges for services (water, garbage etc.) also escalated during those years.
The tax rate has always stayed nearly the same, about $5 dollars for every $1000 of your property's value, but as your home and the commercial properties increased in value, the tax bills took off with them !
As the City took in more and more money, they found ways to spend it. The biggest increases were for salaries, fringe benefits, and pensions, which went up 24 % - from 24 million to 30 million - in one year.
Another big expense was for equipment (trucks, machines, upgrading water plants and the like). One year saw an astonishing 76% increase in equipment purchases.
Also, insurance costs rose 11% in one year and overtime expenses rose 12% in one year.
But this year will be different! With property values plumetting, and the State Legislature cutting, city governments will feel the pain. The days of Gravy Train budgets are over, at least for now.
Having correlated the graph to the city's history,I have made these conclusions;
- the budget was modest the years you,Commissioner Smith were in office.
_the budget started to steadily increase therafter,spiking when Commissioner Rodstrom took office.
A silly reflection perhaps, but I can't help but wonder why ,in those years, with a modest budget,the Police were content and proud to work here,neighborhood associations were vibrant and involved,and folks wre content and happy to live in Ft. Lauderdale.Today,with a much larger budget,crime has skyrocketed,residents are apathetic, willing to live with the "closed door" attitude of city government,while others are moving out in droves.
Sadly, the message is clear-the momentum has gone from this city,and most of the pride has gone as well....
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Tim,
You ought to publish the city's top 100 salaries. That's where all the money goes. The average employee who works in the parks etc is making a very low wage. The Mayor likes to average the numbers so that it looks like everyone is making big bucks.
I suppose we'll get the usual smoke and mirrors this year from administration. Maybe with a couple of the Commssioners running for office we'll actually get some searching questions.
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Conrad that would be a very interesting blog for Tim to work on. Go for it Tim! I would bet that our city manager & his little Howard is making some good bucks (one's that do not deserve the job moreless the $$ they make)
I truthfully feel that the commission should not be paid the bucks that they are so happy to give themselves. Running for office (is a volunteer thing in my opinion but with a bonus that you get paid) Stop giving raises to our elected officials! Set one price for the Mayor, one price for the commissioners, you want to run for that seat come election than you know what your salary will be. Don't like it ~ so be it, than just do not run for the seat that your running for. The one's that really work for our city is underpaid & given no respect!
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The city found ways to spend our money or the idiot George & the other idiots to approve it?
I can understand the increases of salaries/benefits/pensions for our Police/Fire departments but not the idiots that work inside City Hall!These 2 departments are the ones that are out 24/7 protecting our city & going to fires, and yet they are the ones that are least respected by our city commission. George in my opinion is to most blame!
Hopefully when our new Mayor(Seiler)& other respectable people get voted in this coming March, they can get our budget back on track. The way it should be & turn our city back to where it should be. A place you will be proud of calling home!
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Tim:
I found it astounding that our city's budget has increased by 191 million, over 50%, in just 5 years. With all the extra property tax received, and the crappy contracts given to city employees (police yet to come), the city has only banked 50 million dollars. Where has it all gone? brick pavers in the streets, paying out frivilous lawsuits, the waterworks disaster, a potential downtown rail system, hiring outside consultants to analyze every financial decision instead of hiring a city employee and keeping it in house, amongst numerous others. This city had every opportunity to make reasonable increases in budget and build a sizeable coffer, but every penny that came in was already earmarked for a commissioner/city manager/mayor's pet project. Does anybody even remember when this city was a desireable place to live????
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Oh thank God another one who wants to see this city run as a business? Tim, you have alot of power right???follow the money for us...we would unappreciatite it...
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