Seminole County commissioners on Tuesday approved this year's round of community services grants for local nonprofits, but county staff have also sent several of those groups letters cautioning that future funding could change sharply as the county works through the effects of Amendment 3, WESH 2 reported.
Voters approved the amendment, which expands Florida's homestead property tax exemption, on Nov. 3. The station reported that county leaders anticipate significant reductions in general-fund programs, and plan to start talking about long-term budget impacts in January.
Commissioners on the letters
Commissioner Andria Herr told WESH the letters were "a judicious way to put you on notice that we don't know what the budgets will hold." She added: "Well, we do know what the budgets won't hold."
Commissioner Jay Zembower said cutting the groups off would carry its own price. "I want the public to understand there's a big cost in not funding these entities," he told the station, listing homelessness, hungry children out of school, crime and drug abuse as possible results. He said the funding "saves the taxpayers the money from the criminal standpoint."
