Overtime, new mosquito traps, and outside contractors are all things Hillsborough County Mosquito Control has had to use in order to fight the Zika Virus
Officials tell us it's cost about an additional $500 thousand. Money the county had to take out of the general reserve fund after commissioners approval.
But despite knowing the additional costs of Zika, Hillsborough County Mosquito Control is starting the 2017 budget year with the same amount as 2016 at about $2.4 million.
In other words, there is currently no extra money for Zika in the 2017 budget year which starts next month.
John Lyons is the county's Public Works Director and oversees the mosquito control budget. He tells the I-Team he recognizes they will most likely go over that amount next year.
He says they're asking the state to reimburse them the half a million dollars they went over budget on for 2016.
While he says the state has not committed to reimbursing Hillsborough the full amount, John does say the state has reimbursed them $57 thousand so far, and if Florida gets federal Zika money in Washington, it could help.
But if the feds or state pass on helping with county funds, it's likely they will have to dip back into the county reserves again. That would take the board of commissioners approval.
