Members of the Texas County Commission last week approved an almost $3.5 million budget that calls for little growth in revenue and a jump in expenditures driven by an election year, increased utility and fuel costs, as well as a jump in health insurance premiums and costs involved with litigation involving officeholders.
The more than $3.4 million outlay in the county’s general revenue fund is about $400,000 more than last year.
The biggest chunk represents costs associated with staging elections in what will be a big year in politics. In even-numbered years, the county’s budget moves upward. County Clerk Don Troutman, the county’s budget officer, said other increases are projected in utility and fuel costs, as well as legal expenditures to defend the county in two lawsuits involving officeholders and a hike in employee health insurance premiums.
Despite lean revenue projections, the county has avoided any layoffs in its workforce. Workers will receive no raise in wages in 2010.
Troutman said this week that county government continues to bear the burden of costs that it has no control over: such as inadequate reimbursement from the state for housing prisoners, costs associated with the state’s public defender operation and expenses related to staging state elections.
As in past years, revenue from three half-cent sales taxes pays the lion’s share of the county’s bills. One of those is used for debt repayment related to the county’s justice center on North Grand Avenue. Each of the levies is expected to bring in nearly $900,000. The county receives no revenue from a property tax. Instead, property owners pay a levy for the operation of townships within the county. Those 17 political entities are also projected to share in about $914,000 in monies from such things as fuel taxes that are funneled from Jefferson City to the Texas County seat for road and bridge maintenance.
Other budget highlights:
–Forty funds are included in the budget document.
–Law enforcement receives a good chunk of the dollars allocated. The cost of the jail operation is estimated at about $2.5 million. The sheriff’s department budget totals about $406,600. Another $228,726 funds the operation of the county prosecutor’s office.
–Employee fringe benefits add another $634,800 to the spending plan.
–The county’s general revenue fund stood at $242,502 at the start of the year. It will take about $287,425 monthly to pay the bills in 2010.
–In 2009, general fund expenditures and revenue were nearly even: Expenditures totaled about $2.8 million in the general revenue fund.
–Elections scheduled for the year are estimated to cost about $148,000.
–The county’s allocation to University Extension remains at $36,000 this year.