Manatee commission dives into budget process

Less than a week after Manatee County Commission was presented with a recommended $568 million net budget for 2016-17, commissioners began working through the details Wednesday afternoon.

County staff walked commissioners through many of the roughly 150 funds Manatee County government has during a work session showing revenues, expenses and reserves of each.

“This is the first work session of the budget season,” County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said. “It is now your budget to do with it as you please.”

The general fund, the largest and most flexible revenue stream, is expected to have more than $319 million in the recommended fiscal year 2017 budget.

“We try to estimate the revenues conservatively and the expenditures liberally,” said Jan Brewer, county financial management director. “That way there is a happy medium in between.”

Beginning next week, the commission will hear funding requests from the department directors, constitutional officers and projects recommended in the capital improvement plan. The commission will adopt its budget in two September public hearings.

Herald staff report

This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Manatee commission dives into budget process."