 County 2011
Budget Reflects Continued Economic Downturn
Tuesday, February 1,
2011
C-T Photo / Drew Van Dyke
CAPTION: Livingston County Commissioners, from left: Ken Lauhoff, Eva Danner Horton, and Todd
Rodenberg, along with County Clerk Sherry Parks, review the 2011 county spending plan during a public hearing. The budget was passed on Monday.
Livingston County Commissioners approved the
county's 2011 spending plan following a public hearing Monday at the courthouse.
The county anticipates $6,051,245 in total funds available for 2011 to fund $5,886,784 in total expenses. The county projects an ending cash balance of $164,461.
In her budget message, Livingston County Clerk Sherry Parks stated that Livingston County is continuing to feel the effects of the economic downturn.
"Consequently, officials have projected conservatively for the
year," she said. Sales tax revenues for 2010 were down for a third year in a
row; however, they were almost equivalent to 2009.
This year is the third year in a row that the county employees will not receive a permanent pay increase; however, all full-time employees were given a $600 salary supplement.
The county continues to operate without a property tax, and its major source of income, the general and law enforcement sales taxes, reflect decreases in projected revenues of 2 percent for 2011.
The income generated by local use tax continues to support much needed repairs to the courthouse, the clerk stated.
"The county must continue to work diligently to overcome state and federal unfunded mandates and reductions in funding
reimbursements," Parks said. "The county is fortunate enough to be able to fund a much needed upgrade in the fund accounting system with an approximate cost of $30,000 and will also implement a web-based GIS system with a cost share by other local public
entities."
Budget
Plan: No COLA Increase for County Employees
Wednesday, January 19,
2011
Livingston County anticipates a lean budget year
- one with a projected 2 percent decrease in sales tax revenues, no cost of living raises for employees for the third year in a row, and a little bit of savings to fund not only unforeseen expenses this year but to help prepare for an expensive presidential election in 2012.
Despite no cost of living raises for the county’s employees, the Livingston County Commission plans to give each full-time county government worker a one-time supplemental salary of $600. Officials believe this will benefit employees yet protect the county from making a commitment to fund a permanent wage increase during uncertain financial times. The $600 supplement will not be paid to elected officials, according to Presiding Commissioner Eva Danner Horton.
The county's 2011 budget must be passed by
January 31, and Thursday, Livingston County Clerk Sherry Parks will conduct a budget hearing at 9:30 a.m., a necessary step before the final hearing on Jan. 31.
The county anticipates $6,051,245 in total funds available for 2011 to fund $5,886,784 in total expenses. The
county projects an ending cash balance of $164,461.
Last year's budget called for $5,576,462 in total funds available to fund $5,515,141 in total expenses. The
county's actual total funds available for 2010 were $5,813,777 and expenses, $5,101,140. The actual cash available at the end of 2010 was $711,947.
The county is conservatively projecting general sales tax revenues to be 2 percent less that what was received in 2010. The county had expected a 3 percent drop in sales tax revenues between 2009 and 2010; however, officials were pleased to see that revenues were not as low as anticipated. The actual sales tax revenues of 2009 were $955,736. And, while 2010 revenues were projected at $927,064, the actual revenues were just a little less than the actual 2009’s figure, coming in at $953,488. In addition to these figures, which is generated by a half-cent sales tax for general revenue, the county also collects a quarter-cent law enforcement sales tax.
For the second year in a row, a portion of the general revenue fund will be used to supplement the
county's road and bridge fund, Danner Horton said. Last year, the road and bridge fund borrowed $26,000 and this year, the fund is looking to borrow $34,369.
The county is continuing with its current health insurance provider
- Blue Cross, Blue Shield - which implemented a 5 percent increase in costs. The county pays for three-fourths of the premiums and each participating employee pays one-fourth. |
