CBS12 News Team

County readies for budget shortfall; PBSO asks for $7.5 million increase

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. -- Palm Beach County is preparing for another round of belt tightening it's budget. The county could have a $10 to $20 million shortfall next year. The money is expected to come from various departments. But one agency says they actually want an increase.

ROBERT WEISMAN: I've been in this job for 20 years and every year I've seen a sheriff's budget.

County Administrator Robert Weisman doesn't like what he's seeing, although the sheriff's $471 million budget came in a little less than expected.

WEISMAN: I've been a source of static, or friction, because the sheriff's budget is now larger than the county operating budget.

That's right, the sheriff's budget is more than twice the size of the county budget.

WEISMAN: I've been trying to send that message to everyone, that the county is not as important as the sheriff is anymore, the sheriff is dictating the future of the county budget.

SHERIFF BRADSHAW: It's a give and take.

RELATED: PBSO budget proposal asks for 1.5 percent increase

Sheriff Ric Bradshaw maintains he has met budget requests from the county in the past. But needs the money to keep the streets safe and pay union mandated increases to the deputies. He believes he and the county can work out their differences

SHERIFF BRADSHAW: There's no adversarial relationship between myself, the commissioners, or the county administrator.

But the rift in their relationship is wide and there are 10 million reasons why.

WEISMAN: If the county general budget has to be cut $10 million, his budget should be cut at least $10 million.

SHERIFF BRADSHAW: This is personnel costs, which means if you want me to cut the budget that means I have to take deputies off the road and that's not going to happen.

Weisman believes one way to bridge the gap would be for the sheriff's department to pay more of its health care costs and pay new deputies less. The county's budget will not be finalized for several months. That means these numbers will likely change. The county will meet again June 12 to discuss the budget.

Wednesday, May 2 2012, 08:34 PM EDT

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