Some folks out here that are against buying the courses are trying to ignore the two 800 pound gorillas in the room. One is the fact that it is going to cost $1.8 million to construct lakes and $500,000 to dredge (de-silt) the canals. ...more

March 29, 2009

With the reduction in revenue and property values during the current economic downturn, the Pasco County Commission will be required this summer to make some tough decisions as to what services we will offer next year, the level of service to be provided and how we will pay for those services. Based on letters to the editor, e-mails and one-on-one conversations with residents, we realize we need to do a better job of explaining to our citizens the budget decision process. ...more

March 29, 2009

Faced with a potential budget deficit of $100 million-plus - and growing - Hillsborough County officials confirmed Friday that they are considering cutting the county payroll by as many as 1,000 positions over the next two years. ...more

March 28, 2009

With next year's grim financial picture causing the Hernando County school board to cut jobs, the Senate's proposed draft version of next year's budget offers a glimmer of hope for some. ...more

March 28, 2009

Faced with a potential budget deficit of $100 million-plus _ and growing _ Hillsborough County officials confirmed Friday they are considering cutting the county payroll by as many as 1,000 positions over the next two years. ...more

March 27, 2009

Per student funding would hold steady. ...more

March 27, 2009

For homeowners, lower taxes in this recession are a godsend. But for governments, declining property values are the devil. ...more

March 15, 2009

Laura Roper of Lakeland says she and her husband feel trapped by their mortgage even though they aren't yet behind on payments. ...more

March 14, 2009

The issue: Construction of a new $50 million judicial center. Our opinion: With the economy in the dumps and more space available in the courthouse, county commissioners were wise to shelve plans for the project. ...more

March 13, 2009

The Pasco County Commission recognizes the difficult economic times facing our residents and the county. As you have probably read, Pasco County faces a $28.8 million shortfall in revenue because of the decline in property values. We want our residents and our employees to know that we are doing everything we can to proactively deal with these uncertainties and continue to provide quality service to our residents. As a result, we are looking closely at every service we provide to continue to serve our residents in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. ...more

March 11, 2009