Archive for June, 2009
Spending Trend Explains $7.5 Million Budget Shortfall
An expenditure analysis by TallahasseeReports.com indicates that spending per capita by the city of Tallahassee has increased approximately 7.5% over the period from 2005 to 2008.
The city of Tallahassee reports that the median family income increased from $59,700 to $59,900 during this same period.
The analysis indicates that in 2005, the city of Tallahassee spent $699.55 per city resident for core services provided through the general fund. In 2008, the per capita spending was approximately $751.54.
During this period the general fund expenditures increased from $119 million in 2005 to $133 million in 2008.
The Budget Shortfall – Revenue Options
The recent revelation that the City of Tallahassee has a budget shortfall of approximately $7 million for the upcoming fiscal year has started a debate on how to best deal with this issue. Should the city commission raise taxes, cut services, or implement some combination of both?
In this article, Tallahassee Reports looks into one side of this debate by providing information about the various sources of general fund revenues. If the city decides to raise revenue to cover the short fall, the revenue will come from one of these areas.
3 Comments Tags: budget, city commission, cuts, general fund, Tallahassee, taxes, utilities
Alternative Energy – Where Are the Jobs?
As alternative energy moves to the forefront of the energy policy debate, the fight over whose energy preferences will be implemented has begun.
In Florida, two ”brands” of alternative energy – biomass and solar – are vying to become a part of Florida’s energy future. The City of Gainesville is building a 100MW biomass plant and Florida Power and Light is completing the construction of 110 MW’s of solar power.
It looks as though the winner will be the one who can convince politicians and the public that their brand of energy provides the most jobs – but is that total jobs or local jobs?
The Delivery of Alternative Energy – The Next Great Debate
The pursuit of alternative energy as a source for our power needs has clearly become an important public policy issue.
Despite the contentious global warming debate, most people would agree that – all other things being equal – it would be beneficial to get all of our energy from environmentally clean sources.
But here lies the problem, all things are not equal. Alternative energy has not flourished because it is much more expensive than traditional sources of power. Therefore, the free market model and the traditional electrical utility mission of providing reliable and cost-effective electricity have not provided an opportunity for alternative energy.
2 Comments Tags: costs, Florida Legislature, FP&L, FPSC, going green, Governor Crist, utilities
