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The organization under the Board of County Commissioners of Hillsborough County, Florida provides services to over 1
million people. Pursuant to the county charter and State law, general purpose government is responsible for the
money used to support programs to serve citizens with such services and facilities as jails, animal control, and social services
regardless
of where in Hillsborough County they live. But this government also serves over 600,000 citizens living outside municipalities with
law enforcement services, fire protection, and other municipal services. Like many growing communities in Florida, Hillsborough
County government must balance its resources and programs between urban, suburban, and rural communities.
Budgeting for a government, even one as large as Hillsborough County, is essentially the process of allocating scarce resources
to provide services and projects benefiting the community. The process is complex because unlike private business,
Hillsborough County has a broad range of responsibilities. It is expected to address the community’s social issues. It
must protect citizens’ interests. It must enforce laws. Its decisions are made in public forums. And, it is accountable
to its citizens while pursuing goals of efficiency and effectiveness. The budget of a local government serves many purposes.
It can be a policy-making
tool showing how resources are allocated to programs and activities in the order of the jurisdiction's priorities.
The budget of a local government can also be a management tool helping identify potential problems, producing data to determine what programs are working and measuring the quantity and quality of government services. The budget can also be
a financial tool showing the anticipated financial condition of the jurisdiction and a history of financial transactions.
Please go to the pane on the left to link to the present and the last two adopted budgets. |
