Commissioners: Upset by Seminole County tax collector's spending

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — Seminole County commissioners said the county is expected to get about $3.5 million less from the tax collector’s office than in past years.

“If you are counting on excess fees from my office, then you are not appropriately budgeting your office,” Joel Greenberg, Seminole County tax collector, told commissioners during a budget meeting.

Commissioners told Channel 9's Jeff Levkulich that Greenberg's spending will affect the county's budget by millions of dollars and the costs could trickle down to taxpayers.

Commissioners said the tax collector’s office has added new positions to his agency that are not necessary. The positions - an executive chief operation officer, a new chief administration officer, a new chief information officer and a chief of security costing will cost $356,000.

"You are going to operate the office with more than 50 employees more than Mr. Valdez had,” Commissioner Horan said to Greenberg.

“Well, if you really want to get into Mr. Valdez, he had no management. He had no department set up. Everything bottlenecked through him,” Greenberg said.

Greenberg told commissioners he only has to answer to the Department of Revenue, which supplies him with his budget. He's asking for $11,658,000 million, a 20 percent increase from last year.

"So, in other words, we can object to the Department of Revenue?” Horan asked Greenberg.

“Of course. Yes, absolutely,” Greenberg said.

Commissioners object because they are only expected to see a little over $1 million in excess fees next year. Typically, they receive $3 million to $4.5 million a year to help balance the general fund.

“The only way we can manage that we can't print money here is to increase the (tax rate of the) same citizens you are serving tax rate,” said Commissioner Carey.

Greenberg said part of his budget will invest in new technology and he is opening up a new office in Winter Springs. Greenberg said the reason for more hires is because his office is one of the most overworked in the state.

Greenberg gave Eyewitness News a report that showed the number of transactions processed is significantly higher than that processed by any other office in the state.

Cox Media Group