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Commissioners Up The Pressure Over Property Appraiser Budget

    “We should fight.”
    Lake County Commissioner Anthony Sabatini is leading a voice of what appears to be a majority of the Lake County Commission concerned with a ballooning budget inside the Lake County Property Appraiser’s office.  At its meeting scheduled for August 5, the commission is expected to take up the formal process of asking the State of Florida to review Lake County Property Appraiser Mark Jordan’s request to add 28% to his budget, over $1 million.
    Unlike other budgets submitted by the county’s constitutional officers, the commission has less direct influence on the property appraiser’s budget.  Instead, the document goes to the Florida Department of Revenue for review, with county-level leaders able to offer comments during the review period.
    After Jordan’s budget was initially presented last month, commissioners were encouraged to contact the DOR and offer input. 
    On Tuesday, Lake County Commission Chairperson Leslie Campione said the initial review had been returned and some reductions were recommended.  However, the county has until August 15 to create a more formal record of its concerns to give the DOR before a final decision is made, with Sabatini saying during last Tuesday’s meeting of the commission that the county should consider fighting Jordan’s increase all the way to the Florida Cabinet, consisting of the Attorney General, Chief Financial Officer, and Commissioner of Agriculture.  That body could support the commission’s position and lead to Jordan’s budget being reduced.
    Campione said Jordan declined her invitation to appear before the commission and discuss the need for his large increase.
    “The property appraiser said that he declined to do that in public.”
    Sabatini said the vagueness of Jordan's request, which apparently did not clearly outline how all the new money would be spent, leaves him little ability to support such a hike in an era where government spending has come under scrutiny.
    Campione said that Jordan told her he needed ten new employees to increase the office's ability to reassess county property, and that she agreed more transparency was needed.
    “On behalf of the residents and taxpayers of Lake County, the very least they are owed is an explanation of how that money would be spent.”
    While no commissioner spoke openly in support of Jordan’s office’s budget hike, member Kirby Smith took a more conciliatory tone.
    “We have to remember he is a duly elected official as well.”
    Sabatini was in no mood to compromise.
    "We've got to fight.  We've got to appeal this," he said, adding, "We need to use every single legal tool we can to get this in front of the cabinet."
    Where the budget ends up, and how an increased staff at the property appraiser's office could impact Lake County residents' property values, and associated tax bills, remains unsettled, but a majority of the county commission appears to feel the situation is less than ideal.
    “It’s absurd,” Campione said.