The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office does not plan to add deputies and personnel this year, despite their budget going up by $3M. Sheriff Tom Knight told the Herald-Tribune Wednesday that nearly $1.5M of that increase is for mandated expenses. That includes things like healthcare premiums, workers’ compensation and contributions to the Florida Retirement System. Another $869,000 will go to raises for sworn officers and civilian staff salaries. The $3 million increase will drive the sheriff’s budget to slightly more than $110 million- nearly 40 percent of the county’s entire general fund.
