Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony wants a political fight with local officials who set his budget, and they should fight back.

After Tony forced Deerfield Beach officials to part ways with the sheriff’s office after a 35-year partnership, he’s now accusing Broward County commissioners of jeopardizing safety by not approving his grandiose budget request in its entirety.

Tony wanted 9% more money , much of it, he claims, to raise the pay of chronically underpaid BSO deputies who quit for better-paying jobs elsewhere.

Commissioners gave Tony a 3% increase, a bigger boost than any other unit of county government, in a year when 159 positions were eliminated.

For the sheriff, the difference is significant: about $47 million. It would all come from the property taxes paid by Broward homeowners

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