CLEARWATER — Clearwater senior staff anticipates, if the property tax referendum passes in November, the city faces massive cuts in services and major layoffs that could affect everything from library branch closures to police and fire response times, council members learned at a special budget workshop.
City Manager Jennifer Poirrier and Budget Director Kayleen Kastel presented a budget forecast, with contingency planning for 2028 and 2029 to assess the potential impacts of the proposed Property Tax Amendment on the General Fund.
Poirrier said, “This proactive effort will position the city to respond effectively to changing fiscal conditions while continuing to provide sustainable, cost-effective municipal services.”
According to the city manager’s comprehensive report, “the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s Office has projected the city would receive approximately $12,381,656 less in ad valorem revenue in the first year, FY2028, and $7,869,986 less in ad valorem revenue in the second year, FY2029. Ad valorem revenues remain the largest source of General Fund revenue, representing approximately 45.97% of the city’s General Fund, totaling $105,652,010 for Fiscal Year 2027.”
“I have worked with our team to prepare a contingency plan that strives to minimize impacts to existing service levels and employees,” Poirrier reported.
“Our priority is to maintain the high quality of essential programs and existing facilities; those that provide for public safety, critical infrastructure, and the administration of mandated core government services, while preserving quality-of-life programs including recreation and educational offerings enjoyed by our community, residents, and visitors,” she added.
However, she noted, there are budgetary reductions that result in decreases and/or elimination of existing services or program offerings.
Even police services will be affected. There could be a decrease of 10 positions in the Police Department including a grant manager, sergeant and eight officers, all of which are currently vacant. “The inability to fill these positions will result in a pivot from a proactive crime fighting posture to a more reactive model which may result in increased response times, a reduction in proactivity, and increased crime rates. Additionally, this may negatively impact recruiting and retention efforts in an already challenging environment,” the city manager noted in her report.
The second year of cuts could see a decrease of approximately 17 positions in the Police Department, which include reduction to facility aids that support Coachman Park, a reduction of telephone reporting unit staff, the elimination of a victim advocate position, and a decrease in funding to the police aides program, along with a reduction in select administrative and civilian investigative staff.
“These eliminations result in the transfer of some responsibilities back to sworn personnel which ultimately impact crime-solving and proactive capacity,” the city manager noted.
The Fire Department could see cuts, including a decrease of three positions and elimination of a vacant fire inspector position.
Other budget reductions envisioned for the city’s departments include:
• Library – closure of the beach library branch, reduction in the annual physical materials budget for the main library, a reduction to contractual services for community programs, library technology, and third-party services with contractors that provide program support.
• Parks and Recreation – contractor support and marketing for special events, third-party custodial services at recreation centers, citywide landscape maintenance and beautification efforts, irrigation to one day per week, and the elimination of a 1% art fee applied to city projects over $500,000.
• Planning and Development – elimination of budgeted property maintenance for private property abatements due to non-compliant cases of code violations.
• Police – reduction in the annual technology budgets for tools that support investigative assistance and police report writing.
• Public Communications – reduction of the Neighborhood’s Day grant funding, which directly supports eligible neighborhood associations.
• Public Works: reduction to citywide palm pruning and maintenance.
An annual reduction of $115,000 in contributions to third-party organizations is also contemplated including elimination of annually funded Grants and Aids for the Clearwater Historical Society of $25,000; elimination of the annual building and maintenance support for the Wood Valley and Kings Highway recreation facilities of $65,000, and elimination of the annual payment to Keep Pinellas Beautiful of $25,000.
There could also be a decrease of approximately 35.4 positions in the Parks & Recreation Department due to the reduction of landscaping maintenance frequency at citywide parks and athletic fields, a reduction of operating hours and program offerings at each recreation facility and select athletics programs, transition of operation for the McMullen Tennis Complex to a third-party operator, and the reduction of select administrative staff.
Other decreases in staff include: 16.5 positions in the Library Department due to the elimination of select positions that are currently vacant, a reduction of select part-time and variable personnel, a reduction of programs, operating hours and reference services at the main Library, and a reduction of the materials budget for the main Library.
Dozens of other cost-cutting ideas are under consideration, including:
• Eliminating the city’s practice of paying credit card processing fees for Planning & Development Department transactions. This change is expected to reduce city expenditures by approximately $160,000 annually.
• Renegotiating the Venue Operator Agreement for ticket revenue sharing at The Sound;
• Instituting an annual service fee for recreation co-sponsor groups that utilize city facilities at the rate of $50 to $100 per person, as well a ticket fee ranging from $5 to $10 per person to attend Parks and Recreation-sponsored events;
• An increase in the charge for swim lessons from $10 per lesson to $25 per lesson;
In the second year, staff envisions budgetary reductions including:
• Closure of the Clearwater Beach Recreation Center, and the closure of an additional recreation center to be determined later;
• Elimination of the Public Art Grant Fund;
• Elimination of future funding from the Stevenson Creek project.