It may take longer to get a passport, marriage license or to pay traffic fines in central Florida over the next couple of months. Budget cuts from Tallahassee are affecting county services across the region.
Brevard County’s clerk says state budget cuts forced furloughs for some of its employees. The Clerk of Courts Office in Merritt Island is temporarily closed until late September. The Titusville, Melbourne, Viera, and Palm Bay offices will stay open.
Also, the clerk’s office in Melbourne will not process injunctions, or restraining orders, until September 28th. They can still be processed at the Titusville and Viera offices.
In Orange County, the Clerk of Courts office says it has to trim $1.4 million in expenses by September 30th. Orange County is trying to cut costs by offering a voluntary early retirement program for some employees and keeping some positions unfilled.
Volusia County’s clerk’s office says it’s had to implement a hiring freeze, and eliminate open positions because of state budget cuts.