Winter Springs commissioner requests cost comparison of future without police department

A Winter Springs commissioner wants the city to take a closer look at what its budget could look like if it no longer paid for police and parks, a question being raised as local governments prepare for the possible financial impact of Amendment 3.Commissioner Paul Diaz last week asked for a formal cost comparison involving the combined $13.5 million the city spends on police and parks. Diaz said the review could help city leaders understand potential cost-saving options if voters approve the amendment.“I’d like to see a comparison between basically half of our budget, which at this point is police and parks,” Diaz said. “I’d like to see that budget side by side with what it would be to offset that by not having on the city’s balance sheet.”[RELATED: Here’s how much Amendment 3 could save Florida homeowners]The request led to questions from the mayor during the meeting about whether the city was considering eliminating services.“So what you’re asking us to do is to get rid of the police