Willie Boyatt, Chairman of the Budget Committee, presented the
2011-2012 fiscal year budget to attending
Commissioners Monday night, culminating months of diligent effort on the part
of his Committee. The $30 million budget initially required an 8 cent increase
in property taxes to balance; however, through cuts and fund balance drawdowns, the tax levy within the County will remain at
$2.22 per $1,000 in assessed value, while the rate winthin
the
While the budget, as presented, did not require a property tax increase to balance, it would require a significant portion of the County’s fund balances in order to pay for proposed expenditures. Boyatt noted that this would spend down the fund balances to a nearly critical level. “Gentlemen (and lady), let me say this will be the last time we can do this,” Boyatt stated, referring to county’s usage of reserve funds to balance the budget. As presented, the budget would deplete an estimated $476,593 from the County General Fund reserves, along with $216,761 from General Debt Service, and $184,910 from Rural Debt Service. By doing so, fund balances in all three categories would be drained to minimal operating levels.
In an effort to
stave off a property tax increase, only one budget category received an
increase in its tax levy, the General Purpose School Fund. The schools received an extra penny on the
tax rate; however, the increase was offset by one-half cent reductions in
Commissioners will have two weeks to pore over the budget, and the full Commission is expected to vote on the proposed budget at its regularly scheduled meeting on August 15, 2011.