Public Hearing Slated Tuesday on Bay County 2010 Budget
October 18, 2009
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Budget Public Hearing is Tuesday
Despite the state and national recession, Bay County government seems to be financially stable with growing tax base and no tax increases on the horizon.
New construction will increase Bay County's tax base by $68.2 million for the 2010 fiscal year.
That hike will push the county's total taxable value up about .79 percent to $3.175 billion.
County Executive Thomas L. Hickner is holding the line on property taxes and is proposing a lower general fund spending budget for 2010.
The budget, up for public hearing Tuesday at 4 p.m., calls for total revenue of $119 million and general fund revenue of $33.7 million.
Mr. Hickner said he expects the Board of Commissioners to consider adoption of the budget in December.
The levied tax rate of 5.7257 mills for general operations will not increase, said the county executive.
Total property tax revenues for the general fund are expected to be $17.4 million, representing about 52 percent of the overall budget.
Mr. Hickner proposes that general fund expenditures decrease by 1.3 percent ($429,248) from the projected Fiscal Year 2009 adjusted budget. That would drop the budget from $34 million to $33.6 million.
The budget includes $50,000 financial support to Bay Future, Inc., for county-wide economic development, with an additional $25,000 recommended for a specific business expansion attraction effort. The Bay Arenac Behavioral Health Authority will continue to receive an appropriation of $682,242 under the proposal.
Spending on various county services is set at the following:
Sheriff, $5.6 million;
Probate Court and Child Care Fund, $2.2 million;
Prosecuting Attorney, $1.6 million;
Circuit Court and Jury, $1.2 million;
Criminal Legal Defense, $1 million;
Friend of the Court, $490,000;
Animal Control, $374,000;
Community Center pool, $106,000;
Parks maintenance, $135,000.
Under the plan, salaries and fringes will decrease $226,000 (1.1 percent) to $20.5 million over FY2009 budget levels of $20.7 million, he said.
However, health insurance is projected to increase 8.9 percent or by $235,000.
Because of extremely low interest rates, investment interest is expected to drop by $151,000, or a total of 49 percent, to a net of $155,000.
Other decreases are expected as follows:
The Register of Deeds is projecting a decrease of $60,000 (32 percent) in transfer tax stamps;
Probate Court cost fees are expected to fall $12,000 (18 percent) due to fewer fines;
The Civic Arena food and merchandise sales are expected to decrease by 18 percent, totaling $27,000.
The fund balance (reserve money) was $6.6 million in January which was a hike of $2.2 million or about 48.7 percent from the 2007 year end balance. The combined fund balance amounts to about 19.8 per cent of the proposed 2010 budget. ###
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Dave Rogers |
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