Franklin County commissioners believe they have scrimped, saved and squeezed enough out of next year's budget to avoid raising property taxes.
But they plan to add money to make sure security screening continues at the courthouse in Pasco. However, the money for a fire marshal is likely up in smoke.
At Wednesday's budget workshop, the commissioners started putting final touches on what they described as a "gutted" budget. They will vote on it at a later date.
State law allows the county to increase property taxes by
1 percent each year without voter approval. In Franklin County an increase would have added about $125,000 in new revenue, said County Administrator Fred Bowen.
Commissioner Brad Peck said he was reluctant to increase taxes in a down economy.
County departments were asked in October to help cut the county's budget by $1.5 million. For most departments, it meant a 9 percent to 10 percent hit.
After those suggested cuts, the county still had a gap of about $142,000 between its expected revenues and expenses in the $22 million 2010 budget.
Narrowing that difference is what commissioners focused on Wednesday.
Treasurer Tiffany Coffland said she expects sales tax revenue for this year likely will be 16 percent less than for 2008.
But she believes the sales tax revenue for 2010 won't be as low as originally projected. She said the county could safely expect to collect about $100,000 more than initial estimates.
In all, the county expects to collect $2.4 million in sales taxes next year.
The additional $42,000 budget hole will likely be filled from the county's $1.5 million reserve fund, Peck said.
Commissioners also tentatively agreed to add about $72,000 back into the county's security budget, for a total of $178,435. The county earlier intended to cut the department's budget by about 54 percent.
The additional money means that the county will continue have security screening heading into the courthouse and county jail, Bowen said. Without the $72,000, no screening would occur.
The commissioners also expect to cut the fire marshal position, saving about $5,000.
Franklin County Coroner Dan Blasdel brought his budget down to the $182,000 the commissioners had requested, not including the fire marshal position. The marshal investigates about three or four fires a year, usually when arson is suspected, Commissioner Bob Koch said.
Koch noted the county has been without a fire marshal before.
And rural fire district officials or code enforcement officers would take over the duties of declaring burn bans, he said.
"I think we could eliminate it easily," he said.
Similar stories:
Franklin County officials want to add to staff
Franklin County officials want to add to staff
A full-time Superior Court commissioner, two clerks and four correction officers are among the wish list additions Franklin County elected officials and department heads will present to commissioners this week.
But whether those requests become a reality will depend on how Franklin County wrestles with its preliminary 2012 budget that has a deficit of about $1.8 million.
The county's draft 2012 operating budget is estimated to have about $24.3 million in expenses but $22.5 million in revenues, according to county documents.
Benton Franklin Health Board's budget balanced - for now
Benton Franklin Health Board's budget balanced - for now
The budget presented to the Benton Franklin Health Board on Friday was balanced without staff layoffs -- but that may be only a temporary achievement.
Looming state budget cuts are likely to affect the bottom line, and Benton and Franklin county commissioners are questioning their own contributions to the district.
The $8.8 million budget relies on more than $4 million in state and federal grants and more than $1 million in local government assistance money from the state's motor vehicle excise tax.
Hanford layoffs: Tightening purse strings
Hanford layoffs: Tightening purse strings
-- Editor's note: Hanford started this year with 12,000 workers and nine months later about 2,000 positions have been cut. Herald reporters and photographers take a closer look at what this means to Tri-Citians and our economy with a daily series of stories that began Sunday.
While the Hanford layoffs are hard on those who have lost their jobs, Tri-City public agencies say they are well positioned to ride out the economic roller coaster.
No layoffs, service cuts or significant interruptions of planned projects are expected, so far, said city, county and port officials interviewed by the Herald.
Washington state budget debate to begin
Washington state budget debate to begin
Talking about a $2 billion deficit in Washington can seem unreal -- it's a number almost too big for the average person to imagine, but one that might have very real consequences for thousands of Tri-Citians.
And it's the number that will be the focus of lawmakers' discussion and debate as the Legislature convenes in a 30-day special session Monday to tackle that deficit before it ordinarily would meet to write a supplemental budget starting in January.
The actual shortfall between projected revenue and the biennial budget as written is about $1.4 billion, but Gov. Chris Gregoire is asking lawmakers to cut enough to leave $600 million in reserves.
Washington state budget debate to begin
Washington state budget debate to begin
Talking about a $2 billion deficit in Washington can seem unreal -- it's a number almost too big for the average person to imagine, but one that might have very real consequences for thousands of Tri-Citians.
And it's the number that will be the focus of lawmakers' discussion and debate as the Legislature convenes in a 30-day special session Monday to tackle that deficit before it ordinarily would meet to write a supplemental budget starting in January.
The actual shortfall between projected revenue and the biennial budget as written is about $1.4 billion, but Gov. Chris Gregoire is asking lawmakers to cut enough to leave $600 million in reserves.
Print
Email Story
