Comptroller gives back $6.2M to Orange County
Orange County Comptroller Phil Diamond, whose office is considered the county’s fiscal watchdog, announced he is returning a budget surplus of $6.2 million to the county’s general fund.
Diamond, elected in 2016, credited “higher-than-expected revenues and operational savings” for the windfall.
The comptroller’s office often repays the county at the end of the fiscal year with service fees it collects, but rarely this much.
Diamond’s predecessor, Martha Haynie, who served as comptroller from 1988-2016, wrote the county a bigger check — $7.9 million after fiscal year 2006-07.
Diamond returned about $5 million to the general fund last year and $4.7 million after fiscal year 2016-17.
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings welcomed Diamond’s announcement as “good news.”
“When I was sheriff, I was proud to return excess funds to the county, and as elected officials we all should be good stewards of the people’s money,” he said.
Much of the unexpected windfall this year was a product of fees the comptroller charges to record official real estate documents such as deeds, liens and mortgages.
“When the real estate market is hot, recording fees go up,” said Eric Gassman, chief deputy comptroller and former director of the Orange County’s Office of Management and Budget.
He pointed out the comptrol
ler can’t control the real-estate market, only the efficiency in which the office processes. Recording fees can range from a few dollars to a few hundred, depending on the size of the document.
The comptroller’s office recorded nearly 800,000 documents in fiscal year 2018-19, which ended Sept. 30.
Responsible for auditing government operations and tracking tourist-tax receipts, the comptroller’s budget was $21 million last year, including about $5.2 million from the general fund.
The comptroller also received additional operating funds from grants and fees it charges for accounting services, notably for the Orange County Convention Center, water utilities and solid waste.
Diamond credited his staff and technology for operational efficiencies that have boosted savings. Most property documents, for instance, are recorded electronically.
The money returned by the comptroller can be used to fund county programs or projects or to replenish financial reserves, “all good options,” Diamond said.
In recent years, Orange County leaders — with approval of county commissioners — allocated excess funding to its public works division to pay expenses to clean up Hurricane Irma debris.
Surplus funds in 2018-19 went into the county’s financial reserves, its socalled “rainy day” fund.
County spokeswoman Despina McLaughlin said the board also could use the comptroller’s cash to make budget adjustments this year or hold onto it for the next fiscal year’s budget.