Increases abound in Pinellas County’s proposed 2016 budget
With an improving economy and new construction countywide, everyone gets a little more in the $2 billion Pinellas County budget for 2016. At exactly $2,029,414,630, the proposed spending plan for next fiscal year, officially submitted to County Commissioners on Tuesday, came in $67.5 million higher, a 3.4 percent jump from last year. Larger budgets are necessary to cover inflated costs of doing the county’s business, said Pinellas County Administrator Mark Woodard. “This increase, as well as the operating budget increases […] are primarily driven…