SARASOTA – A pre-audit review of the 2019-20 city of Sarasota budget showed that the city budget fared better through the COVID-19 pandemic than originally anticipated – specifically the General Fund and Parks and Recreation District budget.
While sales tax and other related revenues for the general fund were down, those were more than offset by collections in interest income, right-of-way fees and nonrecurring FEMA reimbursements.
Because of that, revenues exceeded the adopted amended budget projection for 2019-20 by $427,389.
Meanwhile, cutbacks in spending were $3.65 million more thrifty than anticipated.
As a result, the overall unassigned General Fund balance increased by $203,557.
The city typically deals this type of audit for the entire budget in March, but Sarasota Finance Director Kelly Strickland said she decided to fast-track the preview partly to assuage concerns over how the city is weathering the pandemic and partly to give some context for newly elected city
Founder and CEO, CTS EVENTIM
In terms of scale and impact, how would you describe 2020 and the current crisis’ impact on your business and the biggest challenges?
Even though we are currently experiencing the most difficult phase ever in our corporate history as a result of the corona pandemic, we are looking confidently to the future. Crises are above all an opportunity for a company to show its strengths. The biggest challenge for the entire industry, however, is that nobody can predict with certainty when live entertainment will return to its familiar extent.
What strategies have you and your businesses implemented and/or are you considering implementing to address these challenges?
major problem in the tenderloin. however, it is not his single responsibility to address this problem. that is a community problem and our entire community should collaborate with law enforcement and community stakeholders. mr. forte has made every attempt to accommodate neighborhood concerns. he has agreed to post security guards, lighting, a security system. there are many agencies and businesses in the neighborhood that refuse to take responsibility. we feel you should support him. vice president goh: you mentioned there was a meeting with the community. what was the date of that meeting? i can look it up on my calendar. i know it was in september. i believe it was september 22. vice president goh: thank you. president peterson: next speaker, please. my name is david villalobos. i am a member of the community alliance which serves the central city. originally, i spoke on behalf of our organization in support of jurisdiction. there was a lot of misinformation regarding
collaborate with law enforcement and community stakeholders. mr. forte has made every attempt to accommodate neighborhood concerns. he has agreed to post security guards, lighting, a security system. there are many agencies and businesses in the neighborhood that refuse to take responsibility. we feel you should support him. vice president goh: you mentioned there was a meeting with the community. what was the date of that meeting? i can look it up on my calendar. i know it was in september. i believe it was september 22. vice president goh: thank you. president peterson: next speaker, please. my name is david villalobos. i am a member of the community alliance which serves the central city. originally, i spoke on behalf of our organization in support of jurisdiction. there was a lot of misinformation regarding the business plan for 281 turk. there have been e-mails going around that indicated this would be a drug dispensary for those with substance abuse problems. our or
thank you. i am very unhappy to hear there is going to be one more pharmacy with drugs for sale in the neighborhood. it is not very nice that we at our old age have to be afraid of going out on the street and be unable to do whatever we have to do because we are afraid that people that do not belong in the neighborhood will be there, trying to see what they can get. please accept our request. i am sure that we are all going to be very grateful that you are going to give us safety instead of more drugs. there are more than seven pharmacies around us from here to van ess. that would be like nine walgreen s. i do not think we need any pharmacy nearby. please listen to us and do what we can. there are a lot of old people like me around the neighborhood and we need some kind of safety so that we can come and go as we need to. thank you very much for listening and please consider this seriously. thank you. president peterson: thank you. next speaker, please. good evening. my na