Winter Springs commissioner requests cost comparison for police and parks services

A Winter Springs commissioner has asked for a formal analysis comparing the city's current spending on police and parks services with possible alternatives, including contracting law enforcement to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, WKMG News 6 ClickOrlando reported.

Commissioner Paul Diaz highlighted that police and parks combined account for about $13.5 million, roughly half of the city’s budget. He wants to see what the budget might look like if those costs were removed or replaced by alternatives.

The request comes as local governments evaluate how Amendment 3 could affect property-tax revenue. Seminole County officials have warned that the county could lose more than 20% of its tax revenue if the amendment passes, though the full impact on services and costs remains unclear.

During discussions, Mayor Kevin McCann asked if Diaz was proposing to eliminate the police department and parks, but it was clarified that the request was only to explore the cost of contracting with the county for police services.

Winter Springs commissioners plan to discuss the cost-comparison request at an upcoming meeting, but no decision has yet been made to direct city staff to prepare the analysis or to change current services.