Pasco Sheriff’s Office Alters Budget Request

Pasco County Sheriff Bob White extended an olive branch of sorts to County Commissioners Feb. 7 in hopes of ending a battle over the agency’s budget.

“Next week we are scheduled to appear in Tallahassee to have a hearing regarding the Pasco Sheriff’s Office budget,” White wrote in a letter dated Feb. 7 to Commissioner Ann Hildebrand, the commission’s chairwoman. “Before that happened I wanted to take one final opportunity for us to have some sort of meeting of the minds on this issue.”

White and commissioners are scheduled to have a hearing before a state advisory panel Feb. 14 to discuss the dispute. That panel would make a recommendation to the Florida Cabinet when it meets March 9. White had asked for nearly $4 million more in his budget to hire an additional 28 deputies, other employees and pay for increasing pension costs. He is now asking for $3 million.

“If I could get the funding for the 28 deputies starting April 1, that would be halfway through the budget year which would cut my request significantly,” White wrote. “If you would agree to that, I would agree to drop my request for the other positions and capital not related to the new deputies.”

Hildebrand was not available for comment yesterday.

Commissioner Pat Mulieri wouldn’t comment on the letter, but said it was likely the request would come up during today’s board of county commissioners meeting, which takes place starting at 10 a.m. at the Pasco County Courthouse, 37918 Meridian Ave., in Dade City.

White was unavailable for additional comment, but did write, “I know these are tough times but the Pasco Sheriff’s Office cannot continue to lag behind its peers.”

The sheriff’s office has 1.2 deputies per 1,000 residents, according to Kevin Doll, spokesman. The national average is between 2.2 and 2.5 deputies per thousand.