The Argus Foundation

Local business leadership think tank and watch dog - We apply business leadership to important community issues.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

ROBINSON: What the Argus Foundation is and what its goals are https://t.co/td33Nujjo6

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

Read our latest column in SRQ Magazine��s SRQ Daily on the County’s recent transportation workshop: “Paying More to be Asked to Pay More”

https://t.co/0arXoED4bQ

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

Read our latest column in SRQ Magazine’s SRQ Daily:

“Budget Workshop Shows Promise, But Work Remains”

https://t.co/1IYPWAypWD

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

The Argus Foundation will have more on this in the near future. #SarasotaCountyBudgetDataDig #TaxpayerMoney #FiscalResponsibility #Taxes #Fees #Expenditures #Spending #BudgetEngagement #Argus

https://t.co/Yro0FcX7A6

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

***Sarasota County Budget Data Dig***
We congratulate the County Commission, Sheriff, and Supervisor of Elections for taking steps to ensure the future fiscal stability of the county.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

These first steps were good ones and the commission did a great job in recognizing that spending was the issue, and not increasing revenue. They avoided considering MSTUs and a Public Service Tax at this meeting.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

#SarasotaCountyBudgetDataDig #TaxpayerMoney #FiscalResponsibility #Taxes #Fees #Expenditures #Spending #BudgetEngagement #Argus

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

***Sarasota County Budget Data Dig***
This is a slide in tomorrow's county commission budget workshop presentation. MSTUs & MSBUs separate services from the general revenue millage.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

These allow a government to adjust taxes and fees for these unit's specific services without adjusting the general revenue millage, which is the main and top focus on your tax bill.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

It was public outcry that led to the commission voting not to implement this at the last minute in 2017 forcing them to embark on budget cuts during the 2018 budget year.
#SarasotaCountyBudgetDataDig #TaxpayerMoney #FiscalResponsibility #Taxes #Spending #Argus

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

***Sarasota County Budget Data Dig***
Yesterday, we posted a slide from tomorrow's budget workshop presentation regarding a county Public Service Tax. This issue last came up back in 2017 when the county was having difficulty balancing its budget.

https://t.co/kRHwPddH9k

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

The Argus Foundation wrote 2 columns that year on this proposed tax. This is the column that we used on social media to notify residents that this was planned.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

#SarasotaCountyBudgetDataDig #TaxpayerMoney #FiscalResponsibility #Taxes #Fees #Expenditures #Spending #BudgetEngagement #Argus

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

***Sarasota County Budget Data Dig***

This is a slide in the slide deck for the county budget presentation in two days on February 26th. The county currently has NO Public Service Tax, which can be up to a 10% tax on electric, water, and gas.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

The last time this was proposed, 9 years ago in 2017, the county commission declined to enact the tax at the budget hearings. They chose to cut their budget after the start of the budget year instead of enacting this new tax.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

#SarasotaCountyBudgetDataDig #TaxpayerMoney #FiscalResponsibility #Taxes #Fees #Expenditures #Spending #BudgetEngagement #Argus

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

***Sarasota County Budget Data Dig*** In December, The Argus Foundation requested that the county cut $5 million from their current budget.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

In January, in a 3-2 vote (Neunder, Smith, and Knight voting for), the commission asked the County Administrator to bring back cuts to the current budget to look at. This is a slide in the slide deck for the budget workshop on February 26th.

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

#SarasotaCountyBudgetDataDig #TaxpayerMoney #FiscalResponsibility #Taxes #Fees #Expenditures #Spending #BudgetEngagement #Argus

[The Argus Foundation @ArgusFoundation]

***Sarasota County Budget Data Dig***In this memo, the County Administrator details that there will be a total of $9.8 million in increases in expenses in 2027. If the county assumes a $2.7 million increase of revenue, this will leave a gap of $7.1 million.

[Florida Politics @Fla_Pol]

.@Paul_Renner to address @ArgusFoundation during ‘Meet the Minds’ luncheon in Sarasota

Reporting by @Reportographer

#FlaPol

https://t.co/UiKlsylqzb