Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly is requesting from the County Commission an 12.2 percent budget increase from the county’s general fund in the 2023-24 budget. That would include funding for five new deputies, increasing retirement costs, union-negotiated pay increases and a 5.3 percent across-the-board cost of living pay increase reflecting the steeper inflation rate of the past year.
The sheriff’s budget in total would increase from $44.5 million to $49.7 million, or 11.6 percent. Those figures include the projected $8.6 million policing contract with Palm Coast, which would increase by $748,000, and $3 million in revenue from the county’s half-cent sales surtax. The county’s general fund appropriation would increase from $33.6 million to $37.7 million, a $4.1 million increase.
The Sheriff’s portion of the budget is by far the largest of the five constitutional officers’ budgets in the county, four of which are funded mostly by revenue administered by the County Commission. The Supervisor of Elections, the Property Appraiser and the Clerk of Court also submitted budgets. The Tax Collector. County commissioners received the budget packages on Friday.
“Since the Tax Collector is fee-based, no budget is included for review,” Brian Eichinger, the county’s manager of the county’s budget office, wrote commissioners. “The funding the Tax Collector receives from the BOCC is commission-based, tied to the amount of property taxes collected in a fiscal year.”
All constitutional budgets reflect the same 5.3 percent cost of living increase and higher retirement costs.
The budget request, Staly wrote County Commission Chairman Greg Hansen in his submittal letter last month, “reflects the funding necessary to maintain the existing service levels for the Sheriffs Office to provide basic countywide Law Enforcement, Detention and Bailiff services.” The jail’s budget would increase by $1.1 million, reflecting an increase in the average daily population to more than 275, up from 238 a year ago. The sheriff expects the jail population to average 300 in the coming year.
“You may recall during last [year’s] budget negotiations, I forwent my request for these deputies to handle the impact of Flagler County being the 3rd fastest growing county in Florida to focus on retaining and attracting employees and to be wage competitive with neighboring counties,” Staly wrote. “The addition of 5 Deputies next year is necessary to ensure an adequate staffing level is available to meet ever increasing calls for service and to prevent current service levels from being diluted by the unprecedented growth occurring in Flagler County.” (The county in fact grew at a faster pace in the two years just before the 2007 housing crash, when Flagler was the fastest-growing in the nation. It grew 53 percent in five years.)
The sheriff is also requesting a budget transfer of $1.17 million from the county to the sheriff’s budget in IT services. “This re-allocation of existing funds allows better transparency to the community and the BOCC on the true cost of public safety services being provided,” he wrote.
The letter highlights the nearly 24,000 hours of volunteer hours logged by sheriff’s volunteers last budget year, equating to an $800,000 saving, a $100,000 value generated by inmate work crews, and the 54 percent crime-inde reduction since 2016, along with a “culture of innovation.”
The Supervisor of Elections’ budget is projected to increase by 30 percent, proportionately more than double the sheriff’s proposal, but from a much smaller base: the supervisor’s budget would increase $631,000, from an existing budget of $2.1 million.
Aside from cost of living and retirement costs, nearly 40 percent of the increase is due to the presidential election year which has already started. Such an election year increases election worker salaries ($244,000), ballot costs ($229,000) and a considerable amount of office supplies, like seals, that other offices don’t incur ($98,000).
“As of today, we have 98,252 registered voters,” Supervisor of Elections Kaiti Lenhart wrote commissioners. “That’s an increase of over 5,100 since I submitted my proposed budget to you in May of last year. At this rate, I expect Flagler County to be well over 100,000 registered voters by the 2024 General Election. This budget includes a request for one additional full-time employee (a total of 11 FTE’s). The Elections Office is the smallest Constitutional Office in Flagler County, and also has the least number of staff members compared to counties of similar size: Citrus, Martin, Sumter, and Indian River. We serve every citizen in Flagler County with our small staff, and it is time to prepare now for our next Presidential election cycle.
The Clerk of Court is funded partly by the county, partly by the state. Its county portion, drawn from the general revenue, would increase from $2.6 million to $3 million, a 17 percent increase. That would be offset by anticipated Clerk of Court revenue of nearly $900,000 ($321,000 less than last year, when the Sheriff’s Office was paying to use space at the courthouse), reducing the overall budget increase to 3.3 percent.
The property appraiser’s budget would increase by 2.5 percent, from $3.17 million to $3.25 million, wit decreases in personnel expenses.
The County Commission holds a 9 a.m. workshop Monday at the Government Services Building, 1769 East Moody Boulevard, Bunnell, to discuss the budget proposals. It does not approve the budget until September. Palm Coast has yet to discuss the sheriff’s request.
Justbob says
Well, social security recipients are expecting a cost of living increase of 3% or less of 2024.
FlaglerLive says
The commenter is incorrect. While there are yet two quarters to go before the calculation, it is almost mathematically impossible (barring an unusual drop into deflation) for the increase to be that low. Tge last one was over 8 percent. The next is likelier to be in the 4-6 percent range. From the Social Security administration: “A COLA effective for December of the current year is equal to the percentage increase (if any) in the CPI-W from the average for the third quarter of the current year to the average for the third quarter of the last year in which a COLA became effective. If there is an increase, it must be rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent. If there is no increase, or if the rounded increase is zero, there is no COLA for the year.”
Ed says
I think that we are actually over covered with relationship to the size of the county and the per capita expense with the number of officers that we already have. We are having to pay for new equipment and patrol cars for these deputies. Our little county doesn’t even need some of the items that he has already purchased.We aren’t some big city with major gang problems. We need to start funding youth programs to keep our youths connected. If you look at the surrounding counties and their athletic and parks, we should be ashamed, especially the Sheriff for asking for more money until we take care of this. We could even build a band shell to get people involved in town center and create an area that more people and businesses would want to be part of.
JOE D says
I would like to see the DATA to support adding 5 new officers ( and all the supporting equipment to go along with them). I’m sure GROWTH will account for SOME increase, but this is ridiculous ( my property taxes have gone up $500/ year since 2019, now at $6500 for an 1150 sq ft 2 bedroom/1.5 bath townhouse. A 12% combined police salary and cost of living raise? Sorry, but my MONEY tree was damaged in last year’s hurricanes. And if I’m not mistaken from earlier Flagler Beach Commission meetings, Flagler Beach doesn’t get “taxed based” County Police services, and any additional County Police officer coverage Flagler Beach gets has to be paid to the County as time and 1/2 OVERTIME !!! We are paying for police services in our County taxes, and getting next to no police services without paying EXTRA, because we supposedly have our OWN police force…what gives!
But…given past County Commission behavior on pretty much giving the County Sheriff whatever he asks for, he’ll probably get it.
Speak to the facts says
You are right. Property Values and Property taxes have gone up. As too the population of Palm Coast has gone up. That is True for all of Florida. Florida used to be “cheap”.
The past couple of years the population seems to have quadrupled!
It’s hard to get an appointment with a dentist! Not enough dentist offices. Even getting an oil change for your car seems to be struggle. The overall infrastructure in Palm Coast is not adequately able to service the increase in population.
If you look at the median or average cost of a home in Flagler County it’s around $370,000.
A three bedroom two bath starter home for a family that is starting out, those homes cost about $350,000 to $370,000.
If you look at what the Sheriff is actually paying it’s Road Deputies. Prolly around $50,000 to $56,000 tops….
Talking Road Deputies. Not administrative or special service people, but the grunts that work the road and provide the public service by responding to calls for service.
Assuming that a Deputy has a spouse that also works making similar or equal income to a Deputy (that is not always the case). That Deputies family house hold income is what around $100,000 to $120,000 a year. Compare that income again the average cost of a home $370,000. Mortgage rates and payments are crazy high. Mortgage for a simple starter home is about $2,000/a month.
Leasing options are even higher. As mortgages are cheaper than renting/leasing.
For a Deputy to live, work, and be apart of the Flagler County community and even attempt to own a home…. Nearly 60% or more of a Deputy’s income would go to making a mortgage payment. That doesn’t leave much for other bills or living cost. If there is a car payment to be made… it is even worse.
So let that perspective sink in.
Then think about other cities with Populations of near 100,000. Look at what those cities are paying and allocating budget for their Law Enforcement Services. If you look at the rest of Florida and the rest of the Country…. Palm Coast a city nearing 100,000 population is not even close paying what the rest of the world’s cities are paying for local Law Enforcement services. It’s a staggering disparity when compared to other Cities. Palm Coast has not been paying much at all.
That said when you look at what the Sheriff’s Office is paying it’s Road Patrol Deputies to the cost of living/ cost of homes (just simple starter homes) …. It’s not really sustainable income for a Deputy to raise a family, or live in the community as the pay isn’t there.
The Sheriff’ will only be able to attract young candidates (with no life experience) or bottom of the barrel candidates.
The Sheriff will not be able to retain or attract family oriented and quality candidates.
In short, Florida is not cheap anymore. The tax revenue is there. The population has increased nearly 3 to 4 times of what it was 10 years ago. Population continues to increase.
So when it comes to the county and city infrastructure, it’s has a lot of catching up to do.
Roadways, parks, business, and everything.
I think it’s a safe estimation that Palm Coast is paying $8 million to $10 million less than what it should be paying for Law Enforcement Services.
If the County and City want quality Deputies and Candidates for Deputy … then the pay needs to be able to better support a Deputy to live in, at least start a family, and be apart of the community.
Right now the pay for Deputies doesn’t really support that.
If the City and County go cheap on the budget, and the pay isn’t adequate enough for a Deputy to afford a house and support a family…. Then what expectations can one have of quality and level of Law Enforcement Services?
It’s not cheap to live in Florida anymore.
JimBob says
You failed to account for deputies’ access to free drinks at Finn’s!
John493 says
Same old thing year after year. Been here 23 years and I hear the same thing every budget season. I need, I need, I need. I think after last years budget for the sheriff, we are good for a few years at status quo. And of course you’ll always hear concerns about safety, traffic etc. to quiet people. Get rid of some of the dead wood like the deputy who helped with the 1/6 insurrection sending people off to Washington and shown on that video.
As far as the excuse of the pay and not being able to afford living here, welcome to the club. My wife is a teacher, can’t live on that. My adult kid works at an auto parts store. Can’t live on that. What about all these other jobs in Flagler county. Very few companies pay enough to live comfortably in this county any longer.
When I was young and just married, I worked two jobs. A normal day job and a part time job 4-5 days a week and many late nights. Yes it tough on family life but that’s what it took to be able to buy a house, one car, and start having children. Everybody wants what they want now. Not tomorrow, now.
I can’t wait to start hearing the excuses from other departments in the county and in Palm Coast.
Mark Huston says
Better safe than sorry, and we are safe because we’ve got the best bang for our buck imaginable.the sheriff’s department is relatively free of oxygen thieves compared “”to all” the rest of our area burocracie’s. The sheriff runs a tight ship, he’s the Capt. Let him sail !
Concerned Citizen says
Really?
Have you seen the issues he’s had? A lot of misconduct issues for such a “tight ship” Not just line Deputies. But Command Staff as well. He needs to tighten up a little more.
The dude says
This city refuses to invest in the kids, and invest in the things necessary to attract and cultivate a strong middle class.
I saw an article just today about how Gen Z and millennials are scrimping to get by, while boomers are living it up.
What happens to this city when the boomers are gone? The entire plan for long term growth in this city is simply retired boomers moving here from New Jersey. That won’t last forever, and those boomers have made damn sure that all who come after them can’t have the same sweet retirements they got. We’ll be lucky if there’s even any social security left, even though we’ve paid into it all our working lives.
The Sour Kraut says
Staly needs to learn how to work within a budget, just like the rest of us. I am sure he would like all the increases he is requesting. I would like a bigger increases too.
Atwp says
I see another tax increase coming to pay for these requests. Republican waste, poor Republican management, bad requests equals increased taxes soon. People welcome to the real world of poor Republican management and huge waste.
Deborah Coffey says
Yes. And, it wasn’t like this 20 years ago when we had Democratic control. But, it’s almost impossible to stop people from voting against their own best interests. They want Republicans? Now, we will all pay the price.
Belshazzar says
I don’t know why the sheriff needs more deputies, he never puts together a coherent explanation. And he doesn’t have to because the county commissioners will always bend over for Staley.
Taxable values went up 12.8% for the county so 12.2% is a realistic number in that respect.
Next year the grand sheriff will probably request an air unit to keep us safe from all the baddies out there.
Deborah C. says
Tax the plethora of churches in this county. ……that should cover the cost. So sick of seeing this free ride…..especially in light of their refusal to abide by the separation of church and state
Dennis C Rathsam says
Stuff Em in Alvin strikes again! We wouldnt be in this mess, if our realator mayor controlled the growth of P/C. Staley needs more money…. He crys every year. Where are the seniors going to get the money to pay for the sherrifs folley? You just cant keep raising taxes, our SS went up! but inflation ate that up, food prices continue to clime. Seniors need relief from all these taxes, we worked hard all our lives, we settled here, now your pricing us out of our homes. Folks over 65 should get tax relief, and let the new developements pay more taxes. This was billed as a retirement comunity….Now its anything but. in Alabama anyone over 65 pays NO PROPERTY TAX!!!! Maybe its time for a new sherrif, & a new mayor…Its definatly not time to add deputys!
Skibum says
I don’t like to see cost increases any more than the next person, but have any of you people making these negative comments about the sheriff and his department even taken a second to consider all of the growth that has been happening in our county? So many complaints all the time from people who live here about all of the new housing going up, all of the increased traffic on the roadways creating potholes and damaged roads, etc. I see the increased number of new homes going up in my neighborhood, and in fact I was just mentioning to my father-in-law the other day that on my street alone, 3 lots have just been plowed and are in the process of having new homes built, and within a few blocks there are another 3 new homes going up in the F Section. And if I drove around just our close neighborhood, I would easily be able to identify 10 new homes that have been built just within the last year, so you multiply that over the entire city of Palm Coast and I’m quite sure it will be thousands of new homes built just within the city limits recently with many more on the way. Of course FCSO has been looking at the growth and determining what it means for the ongoing challenge of providing law enforcement services to the county’s residents. You complain now, but when you dial 911 you expect an immediate law enforcement response to a crime in progress. That cannot happen if the county neglects to foresee and fund the sheriff’s requests that are deemed necessary. So don’t get all bent out of shape when you hear the initial budget requests, as there is a process and not everything on the sheriff’s wish list may be approved. But I’ll be damned if I am willing to sacrifice the safety and security that ALL of us presently enjoy compared to other areas in FL just because of naysayers who constantly complain and are against every budget increase no matter what!
DontsayRon says
Police unions are big donors to the GOP as they give them whatever they want regardless of costs. Notice how they will dismantle teacher union but not the police union…… Seems like big corruption to me.
Roy Longo says
Here we go again. Staly, being the most popular politician in the county, knows he can get whatever he wants. Every other politician needs the clout Staly brings and they can’t afford to go against him and lose voters.
Going broke in Palm Coast says
I think the sheriff has pushed this agenda far enough. My taxes have gone up end utilities have doubled over the last few years while my salary has been stagnant. I have things I want but my budget won’t allow me to have them. Staly has gotten his way the last few years, it’s time to say no to all of it. No negotiations, just live with what you get.
Laurel says
See how it works, folks? I’ve seen it all before, and tried to explain it to you. “Westward Ho!” exclaims Alfin. You are talked into how we need more people, more apartments and homes, more businesses, more this and more that by the realtors, commissions, Chamber of Commerce. More criminals? All for our own betterment, and how the new population will share the costs. They come to see, and live, in “Old Florida.” Old Florida lives only in the mind of old Floridians.
Sheriffs’ Departments always need more money. That never stops. I would love it to know why the Sheriff’s Department needs a bay boat with painted logo, motors which requires:
– Operating expenses
– Maintenance and repairs
– Mooring, storage, or both
– Insurance
– Upgrades and replacements
– Depreciation
– fuel
– Provided uniforms for volunteers
– Cost of boat 30K to 50K (averages)
This is to ride up and down the ICW, why? Please tell me, what do they do? They have no authority. They are the eyes for what? Your tax dollars at work.
Laurel says
I meant C.O.P. boats. Why do we need those? Just moving advertisement.
Concerned Citizen says
I m curious as to how FCSO doesn’t have jurisdiction on the ICW?
I understand it is a “Federal” Waterway. But it runs thru Flagler County. Traditionally a Deputy Sheriff has jurisdiction across county lines. More so than a local PD or Constable force would. I would also imagine that there are MOU’s between the Army Corp of Engineer’s and The United States Coast Guard for enforcement.
Perhaps you are more educated than I or Flagler Live can correct me. But if this is indeed the case then it needs to be addressed. And if not I’m all for additional Maritime Safety. I have lived on the ICW and have witnessed how boaters act.
Laurel says
Concerned: I’m talking about the C.O.P. boat (boats?). Volunteers have no jurisdiction. They cannot stop anyone for behavior, too many people, not enough life preservers, etc. Are they the eyes for the Sheriff? If so, what do they see? Someone in someone’s back yard? How do they know who lives there? All I see is them looking straight ahead and hauling ass down the river, in uniforms! What for? For all the tax payer money spent, what do they actually do? What amount is in the budget for this?
Even with the Sheriff’s regular boats, I see virtually no monitoring going on. Kids sitting on the bow while the boat flies. Boats stuffed with people beyond recommendation. Little observation of boating rules, and right of ways. Small kids without preservers. Most boats not slowing down for smaller craft. It goes on and on. So, while I’m at it, what exactly do the Sheriff boats do? In the years we have lived here, we’ve only seen the deputies retrieve a teenager’s body from a seadoo accident.
Concerned Citizen says
Nothing new here.
Staly will ask. The County will say yes as always. Because they are scared of him.
I can’t understand why Sheriff Earp needs such a large budget. Or acts like he’s the only agency with needs. Look at all the waste. Multiple models of cars. Dozens of different colors of uniforms. New buildings every year. Some of you think the minor things are trivial. But jump over to Galls and price various uniform shirts. When I worked for the Sheriff’s Office back home we had two duty uniforms and Detectives wore plain clothes. Every time I see an FCSO Deputy they are wearing a different outfit. Standardize to cut cost!!
No Sheriff Earp needs to learn how to work within a budget. And let other agencies have a share of the monies available. Something to remember during the next election. This guy has been in office way to long. And is building a regular little empire.