ORLANDO, Fla. — Orange County leaders are focusing on finances for 2024 as budget hearings kick off this week.

The budget which is nearing $7 billion, would be for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Community safety, including requests from the sheriff’s office, was a major focal point. The Citizen's Safety Task Force is asking for $2 million.

The hope and expectation is this funding will go to community-based organizations that need resources to better serve youth and teens.

“These kids on this bus are from this neighborhood,” Louis Gray says with about a dozen kids on his Grays Project bus. “We have at least four kids who use to live in this neighborhood (Lake Mann) and they stay connected with our organization.

Louis Gray is from the Lake Mann projects.

Gray currently receives $50,000 a year to mentor about a dozen kids twich a week. He provides a meal, transportation, activities, life discussions, and a safe place to be.

But, he wants to do more.

“I’m hoping for a $100,000,” Gray said. “If we receive that, then we would be able to provide more to the community. Bring on more kids and come more than just two days a week.”

The county’s Citizens Safety Task Force, which reconvened following a string of deadly Pine Hills shootings this year, is now requesting $2 million in the budget for funds that could potentially go to organizations like Grays Project.

“We are engaging with community based organizations in areas where we see disproportionate crime,” Mayor Demings said following a budget meeting Wednesday. “It is better to have community based organizations in those areas.”

Gray, who played football on the Lake Mann field as a teenager, is doing it now as an activity to keep teenagers engaged and safe.

“Mentoring works, I’ve seen it.” Gray said.

Gray is hoping the success rate stays the same with the addition of more kids.

Also as part of the budget meeting Wednesday, was a presentation by Orange County Sheriff John Mina.

Mina asked for a budget of just over $344 million.

Mina discussed not only 5% annual raises to employees but the need to hire 190 deputies. The sheriff’s office would also like to upgrade computer software in vehicles and add additional body cams to their department.

As for extra resources for youth interactions in the community, the department is looking to add a behavioral response unit, one school resources officer and two more police athletic league deputies.

“As Orange County continues to grow, so too does the sheriff’s office,” Mina explained Wednesday. “Keeping up with growth, keeping up with calls for service, but again adding PAL (Police Athletic League) deputies to further engage with our youth is one of the programs we are proud of and glad the commission will eventually fund it.”

Mina also reports Wednesday there has been an 18% decrease in crime over the last five years, and that his office is at about 90% for staffing deputies.

He also told the commission his department attended over 200 job recruiting events in 2022, and so far has gone to over 100 this year.