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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007 06 08 Orlando Sentinel Article: Prepare for Cuts, Crotty WarnsPrepare for cuts, Crotty warns ~rl~-do Se~irie~ http://www.orlandosentinel. com/community/ne«~s/lakenona/orl- mstate0807jun08,0 4570564.story Prepare for cuts, Crotty warns Today's annual speech will be conservative, as the county girds for lean times ahead. David Damron Sentinel Staff Writer June 8, 2007 Page 1 of 2 Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty will recap a successful year of diversifying the local tourist economy in his State of the County speech today, but unlike past addresses, no pricey initiatives will be rolled out. In fact, just as Crotty delivers his annual report to area leaders, lawmakers are expected to announce specific property-tax-rollback proposals in Tallahassee that will likely handcuff city and county budgets for years and force immediate cuts to basic local services. "This is not the year of the rollout," Crotty said Thursday. In an advance copy of the speech, Crotty defends heavy local investments in recent years made possible by large surges in property-tax revenues that state lawmakers want to reverse. Last year, Crotty launched a $530 million "Children's Legacy" plan aimed at fixing clogged roads, buying environmentally sensitive land and offsetting a host of "infrastructure deficit" projects that followed years of intense growth. Because of possible cuts, Crotty said, "our entire legacy initiative may have to be scrapped." Another major spending initiative Crotty will tout from last year is a $46 million county incentive package for the Burnham Institute. Part of a larger $367 million state-local package, it was designed to lure the California biomedical-research outfit to expand next to a new University of Central Florida medical school and a proposed new Veterans Affairs health complex in the Lake Nona area. Crotty does not regret those investments, which he says will diversify the local economy and continue to help lift wages. "Some may argue that we should have adopted a more modest budget and offered some tax relief last year, but when you look at the ever-rising cost of construction, the increase in prices for land acquisition, I believe we made a sound investment," he says. But the county is in a far different position now, with the Legislature scheduled to meet next week in a special session to roll back local properly taxes. http://www.orlandosentinel.com/community/news/lakenonalorl-mstate0807jun08,0,300505,print.st... 6/8/2007 ADVERTISEMENTS rrepare ror cuts, Crotty warns 1 -~ Yage 1 of l Crotty plans to endorse local property-tax cuts in the range of 5 percent to 10 percent, with an additional constitutional ballot measure geared toward delivering more tax relief for property owners. But Orange budget chiefs are bracing for worse. Top county officials outlined abelt-tightening budget plan this week that anticipates lawmakers cutting property taxes by up to 20 percent. They said that such a rollback, among other things, would require a freeze in road, park and fire-house construction and cuts to after-school teen programs, and threaten local funding for long-sought commuter-rail efforts. "I hope our legislative leaders will use a surgeon's scalpel rather than a meat cleaver," Crotty says in his speech. Regardless, Crotty plans to sound a positive note, arguing previous investments are "taking Orange County to the next level of greatness." David Damron can be reached at ddamron@orlandosentinel. com or 407-420-5311. Copyright ©2007, Orlandq_ Sentinel ~ Get home de.liyery...-_up to_SO%__of~f' __ Uet your news on the go by going to wt~lv.orlandosentinel.com on your mobile browser. http://www. orlandosentinel. com/community/news/lakenona/orl-mstate0807j un08,0,3 005 OS,print. st... 6/8/2007