Law enforcement is the number one priority of the Broward County budget, and the state should not force county government to increase funding for the Sheriff’s Office, local officials said last week.
In a 71-page response to the State of Florida Administration Commission, Broward County Attorney Andrew Meyers said the Broward Sheriff’s Office is adequately funded, pointing out a decade-long trend of steady funding increases from 2017 through the current fiscal year, which started Oct. 1.
The Sheriff’s Office appealed the county’s funding decision to the Administration Commission two weeks ago, the latest salvo in an ongoing feud between the agency and the local government about what it takes to protect the citizens of Broward County.
“It’s never been a surprise when the sheriff has sought an increase in funding,” said Broward Mayor Mark Bogen. “We’re trying to save money, between what’s going on with the economy and what’s going on with the state … He wants a 20% pay increase for all his deputies in a two-year period. We’re giving our own employees 2%. We need to tighten our belts.”
Earlier this year, the Sheriff’s Office requested a 9% budget increase, about $73 million, over last year’s allocation. Previous annual increase requests have been far less ambitious, Meyers noted, until last year, when Sheriff Gregory Tony requested a 39% hike. That never materialized. The budget went up by 8.73% over the previous year.
“The County is unaware of any indication that BSO was unable to provide necessary public safety services due to a lack of funding during FY25,” Meyers wrote, “which demonstrates that BSO’s original funding proposal vastly exceeded (by over $200 million) what the Sheriff originally certified was ‘reasonable and necessary’ to the operations of his office.”
Funding for BSO accounts for roughly half of the county’s $1.8 billion budget. The rest goes to county agencies, parks, courts, libraries, elections, the tax collector’s office, transportation and other government functions. (The county’s overall budget is $8.8 billion and includes allocations that are funded by the agencies they finance, such as the airport, the seaport and tourism. The $1.8 billion is the portion of the budget funded mostly by property taxes).
In his funding appeal, Tony sought to justify the 9% budget increase he requested as necessary for raises, improvements to the 911 system and fixed operating costs. He also accused the county of being misleading in leaving the airport and seaport out of the discussion of how much the county prioritizes law enforcement. When safety at those facilities is factored in, law enforcement makes up about 10% of the county’s budget, not 50%, he pointed out.
The issue is now in the hands of the administration commission, which comprises the governor and his cabinet. The governor has accused Broward County of being wasteful in its spending practices, but he has not included the Sheriff’s Office in his criticisms.
If the state were to force the county to spend more on law enforcement, it would put a dent into the amount the county contributes to its reserve fund, which pays for unexpected expenses. Officials already agreed to lower the property tax rate after being assured the fund would be minimally affected.
Rafael Olmeda can be reached at rolmeda@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4457.