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Orange County's 2022-23 budget includes millions more for housing, Sheriff's Office, mental health

Orlando Sentinel - 7/11/2022

Orange County's proposed budget for the coming fiscal year includes $20 million for a county-controlled affordable housing fund; a $15.4 million increase for the Orange County Sheriff's Office; and $10 million to address funding gaps for mental-health services.

The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1 and budget hearings get underway Wednesday with county commissioners.

The proposed spending plan of $5.9 billion is funded by several revenue sources, including a property tax projected to bring in $806 million, $93 million more than in fiscal year 2021-22, which ends Sept. 30. The property tax rate will remain the same for a 15th consecutive year but revenues will be about 13% higher because of new construction and rising property values.

The county's tax rate is 4.4347, including smaller levies for capital projects and parks.

The tax would cost the owner of a home in unincorporated Orange County$4.43 for each $1,000 of taxable value.

For example, the owner of a $350,000 home with $50,000 in homestead exemptions located in unincorporated Orange County would pay about $1,330 in property tax.

Though the tax rate is unchanged, most homeowners will pay more because their property values increased.

Countywide taxable values grew from $160.8 billion in 2021 to $181.7 billion this year.

Proceeds of the property tax pay for a wide variety of Orange County government services including public safety, health and social programs, family and children's services, public transportation costs, parks and recreation, and infrastructure improvements.

Fiscal projections are rosier this year than last as COVID-19 s grip on the region has weakened and tourism has rebounded, but the 426-page blueprint takes note of inflation and warns "certain revenues could be impacted by high fuel prices and a potential economic slowdown."

The budget is outlined in county documents available online.

With commissioners poised to put a rent-control measure on the November ballot, the spending plan proposes transferring $20 million from the county's main budget fund to the "Housing For All Trust Fund" to help pay for affordable housing options in Orange County.

The average market rate rent in Orlando jumped over $400 in two years to $1,800, according to real estate analysts CoStar.

It was $1,357 in 2020.

County officials originally pledged to pour $13.3 million into the housing trust fund under its control but added $6.7 million to account for increases in construction costs and materials, according to a summary distributed by the county communications team.

The budget, which must be approved by commissioners, anticipates adding 133 county positions, 65 in public safety.

The Sheriff's Office, asking for $311 million up 5.2% or $15.4 million from last year, wants to add 44 positions, including 25 road deputies; four school resource officers; and another deputy to serve with a crisis intervention unit that pairs deputies and mental-health clinicians.

The county-funded Behavioral Response Unit has fielded 5,000 calls since it was deployed in January 2021 in the wake of Black Lives Matter protests that were sparked by the police murder of George Floyd in Minnesota. The teams aim to de-escalate potentially violent interactions between law enforcement and people in a mental health, substance abuse or behavioral health emergency.

Mayor Jerry L. Demings proposed adding $10 million to the upcoming budget to plug gaps in mental health services and begin to implement initiatives recommended in a 77-page report on the mental health and behavioral health systems in Orange County.

In February, the mayor cited research showing a connection between inadequate mental health care and homelessness.

"As a community, we need to do better," he said. "The system is overwhelmed."

Orange County Fire Rescue plans to add 21 positions with its proposed budget of $265.5 million.

The county also has earmarked $47 million for a 30,000-square-foot Fire Training Center in east Orange.

Construction will likely begin next year with completion expected in 2024.

County employees also will get a 4% pay increase if the board approves the plan.

The pay hikes would add about $22.8 million to the cost of personal services. Those expenses are projected to be $849.1 million, about 14% of the total budget of $5.9 billion, said Kurt Petersen, manager of the county's Office of Management and Budget.

shudak@orlandosentinel.com

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