HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. —  Faced with a $10 million budget deficit that a county administrator blames on previous leadership, officials in Hernando County are looking at raising property taxes to get them out of the hole.

County administrator Jeff Rogers said Hernando has already cut more than 20 positions and $4 million in expenses, and it can't cut any more. So he says raising the property tax rate by 14 percent is the best option. 

"Any further cuts would end up in a reduction in the quality of life of our citizens, and so you'd end up with not a safe community for public safety, and then some reduction in services I've talked about (like) the libraries and parks and these things that we all enjoy and make Hernando County the great place we live," Rogers said.

He is proposing a 1 mill increase, which would come out to about $75 to $100 per year. 

"If we just delay it another year or we just do a smaller increase, we're delaying the inevitable to get the county back to where we have the amount of reserves to cover for any unforeseen circumstances," Rogers said.

Some residents aren't happy with the idea of a property tax increase, saying there has to be more that the county could do that wouldn't cost residents so much. But others said given the deficit, they understand why the increase was proposed. 

"Nobody likes a tax increase," said John Lee, a Hernando County resident and business owner. "They've mismanaged themselves over the years. They always point fingers from one department to the next."

But, "you can't cut your way out of this problem I don't think," he continued. "That's what everybody would like to say, 'Cut cut cut,' (but) who are you going to cut? You don't want a deputy coming when you call them?"

Commissioners will vote on the increase on September 11.