Clay manager voices budget concerns

Clay manager voices budget concerns

GREEN COVE SPRINGS, FL - Like most communities this time of year, Clay County is struggling with budgets and estimated cuts in funding. In a recent meeting with the Board of County Commissioners, County Manager Fritz Behring estimated the Amendment One impact on the county will be $8.4 million this next fiscal year.

Behring said he will submit a budget that does not require an increase for property taxes, but warned that it will be necessary to reduce staff over the next couple of years, noting that personnel costs are 70 percent of operation costs.

He said that 15 county positions were eliminated last year and another 15 are vacant and not being filled right now. "Any time you start cutting costs you’re going to start hurting your people," he said.