A MESSAGE FROM KAREN E. RUSHING CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT AND COUNTY COMPTROLLER TO THE CITIZENS OF SARASOTA COUNTY I am pleased to present the Sarasota County IMPACT Report for the fscal year ended September 30, 2021 which was a special year for Sarasota County as we commemorate the Centennial of our community. On July 1, 1921 Sarasota legally separated from Manatee County and Sarasota County was formed. This report, which is also called a Popular Annual Financial Report, provides the citizens of Sarasota County an easy-to-read overview of the County’s revenues, expenses and other key economic indicators for the fscal year that ended on September 30, 2021. My primary focus as County Comptroller is providing outstanding service to you. I trust you will fnd this report has been presented in a straightforward manner how your tax money is managed, spent and invested. Despite the uncertainty caused by the global health crisis - COVID-19, Sarasota County’s fnances remained strong in Fiscal Year 2021, as is evidenced by the following comparison to Fiscal Year 2020: • Tourist Development Tax revenues increased by 47.6 percent, from $21.1 million to $31.1 million. • Population increased by 0.6 percent, from 438,816 to 441,508. • Taxable assessed property value increased by 7.1 percent, from $65.5 million to $70.1 million. • Total General Fund expenditures were $261.1 million which was 7.9 percent less than the amended budget of $283.6 million. As Comptroller, I am proud to report that we have received the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Popular Annual Financial Reporting for the 2020 IMPACT Report and the Certifcate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for our 2020 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report from the Government Finance Ofcers Association (GFOA). In addition, Sarasota County was issued the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for fscal year 2021. There is a dedicated team of talented fnancial professionals that contributed to such success. Should you desire more information not found in the IMPACT report, you may wish to review the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, which contains more detailed audited fnancial information. In addition, the Consolidated Major Revenue and Debt Report provides a summary of the County’s major revenue sources, indebtedness, and arbitrage. These reports can be viewed and downloaded at SarasotaClerk.com. If you have any comments or suggestions on how we may improve this report, please contact the Finance Department at (941) 861-5165. Thank you for the opportunity to continue to serve as your Sarasota County Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller. It is a great privilege and honor to serve our community. Sincerely, Karen E. Rushing Clerk of the Circuit Court and County Comptroller SarasotaClerk.com
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