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Hillsborough County has made many accomplishments this past year, which
include a number of "firsts", and several efforts to save tax
dollars.
- In the Citizens
Satisfaction Survey which increased 13% from last year, Hillsborough
County received a 21% increase from customers for the County’s
efforts to inform citizens. The County’s Communications
Department has created a Language Services program to facilitate
translation and interpretation services between the community and our
government.
- Hillsborough County received a Triple-A
credit rating from Standard & Poor’s, making Hillsborough
County one of only two counties in the state to receive the highest
rating from the agency. Standard & Poor’s cited the County’s
financial performance, strong economy and sound financial management.
- County Commissioners lowered the millage rate by a record amount,
a rollback of more than half a mill.
- Hillsborough County received the Entrepreneurial American Community
Award from the
Partners for Livable Communities. The organization recognized the
county’s funding approach for the Health
Care program, the Library system
and for a strategic plan and budget process that links funds in the
budget directly to eight
major goals.
The county works to ensure that growth pays for itself. Over the
last two years, developers were required to fund more than $900 million
in transportation improvements related to their projects.
- And in order to help solve a major traffic issue, Hillsborough County
established a “Senior Zone” on Fletcher Avenue in front
of John Knox Village to help reduce speeding problems, the first such
zone in the nation.
- Board members acted on a recommendation from the Affordable Housing
Task Force, which they created, and hired the County’s first Affordable
Housing Officer. The County also provided $3.5 million dollars to help
more residents find affordable homes.
- In a first for crisis planning—Hillsborough County held a Pandemic
Flu Exercise, the first such emergency drill in the United States. The
exercise brought employees from 22 local, state and federal agencies
together, and was also transmitted via satellite live to the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control in Atlanta and Washington so health officials could
watch.
- And for the second time, the National Head Start Association designated
Hillsborough
County Head Start/Early Head Start as a Quality Initiative Program
of Excellence.
Many more 2006 achievements are highlighted in this year’s
State of the County video message. Hillsborough County is becoming
the Best County Government in the Nation, but we aren’t done
yet.
Hillsborough County Administrator Pat Bean delivered the State of
the County Message to the Board of County Commissioners in video format
on February 21, 2007 and it will air through March on HTV
22. Program times are listed on the county’s website.
2007
State of the County Message
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