2011: A sheriff’s office standoff [Tampa Tribune, Fla.]

Dec. 29--NEW PORT RICHEY -- Editor's note: This article is part of a series on the top stories in Pasco County during 2011 as selected by The Pasco Tribune staff.

Longtime Pasco Sheriff Bob White's budget showdown with county commissioners carried over from 2010. It was resolved on Valentine's Eve, just hours before the two sides were set to argue their cases to the Florida Cabinet.

And it ended a month later with White announcing his retirement

White had sparred with commissioners for months over his 2011 budget. The commission had told all constitutional officers to cut their budgets by 5 percent. White had asked for $89 million, nearly a $4 million increase over his previous budget. In addition to pension and insurance costs, the increase would have covered the cost of adding 28 deputies and eight support staff.

Commissioners rejected the request, instead passing a budget at the same funding level as the previous year. White had one recourse: appeal to the governor.

The two sides were scheduled to meet in Tallahassee on Feb. 14, but White began reaching out to commissioners a week before the appeal. He wrote them on Feb. 7, saying he was open to negotiation and reduced his requested increase to $3 million.

Commissioners unanimously rejected that offer Feb. 8, calling it "not serious."

Chairwoman Ann Hildebrand said White called her a few nights later with another offer. He would reduce the number of deputies he wanted to hire from 28 to 21, bringing the request down to $1.9 million. But the county would have had to pay about $700,000 each subsequent year for the salaries.

She told him to put it in writing, and the two met in the parking lot of an IHOP restaurant on U.S. 19. Commissioners called a rare Saturday meeting to consider White's offer. They rejected it but ended up voting to increase his budget by nearly $1 million -- funding that would cover pension and insurance costs -- but no new deputies. White refused, saying he'd take his chances with the Cabinet.

Sunday, though, White called Hildebrand again and asked if the deal was still on the table. It was. He said he'd take it.

A month later, White announced his retirement, ending a 35-year career in law enforcement to spend more time with his 18-month-old granddaughter.

He informed his command staff, then emailed a letter to all of the agency's employees.

The letter read, in part: "I care deeply for all of you, but there is a little girl who needs her Papa right now. Nothing says I love you to a child more than TIME. The truth is my focus has changed. I can't give you my total commitment; therefore I can't stay in Office."

White denied rumors he was stepping aside to take a position in Gov. Rick Scott's administration. He would have been eligible for an appointment in September.

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