Supervisor: Don’t close gap with surplus
Treasurer: Taxes can rise 44% if fund balance not usedBy AMANDA WHISTLE, The Leader-Herald
FONDA - Recent figures from the Montgomery County Treasurer's office indicate an estimated $11.1 million budget gap that county officials will have to tame before they can pass the 2011 budget.
With that in mind, Florida town Supervisor William Strevy on Tuesday at the full Board of Supervisors meeting opened a discussion of possible legislation that would prevent the county's budget officer from using fund balance to balance the budget this year.
Strevy said the intention of the resolution would be to highlight the severity of the county's financial condition.
"What I'm asking is that the tentative budget be prepared by the budget officer without using fund balance so that taxpayers can see how difficult the situation is that we're in," Strevy said Wednesday afternoon.
He said he will introduce the legislation at the next month's Finance Committee meeting.
"I did see a whisper of support from my colleagues, but I don't think anybody likes what the truth of the matter will be," Strevy said. "It's going to be a rude awakening for many people."
At the July Finance Committee meeting, County Treasurer and Budget Officer Shawn Bowerman presented supervisors with new figures that added $3.6 million to the already $7.5 million budget gap that supervisors were expecting - that's an $11.1 million budget gap. He brought to their attention increased expected spending in 2011 on retirement costs, debt payments, medicaid and contractual obligations. The biggest hit to the county would be the $1.4 million hole left if the federal government pulled its Federal Medical Assistance Percentages for 2011.
If county officials use no fund balance to offset the $11.1 million, taxpayers can expect about a 44 percent tax increase, Bowerman said.
But Bowerman said the legislation looks like a way to blame him for tax increases if the supervisors can't agree on a budget and it reverts to his tentative budget.
Bowerman has repeatedly said it's not his job to cut services. That duty belongs to the lawmakers, he said.
"I do not agree with this resolution at all," Bowerman said Tuesday at the meeting. "If this board does not have the guts to make cuts, they'll pass the buck to the budget officer."
Bowerman said Wednesday afternoon his goal is to keep the fund balance, which contains about $10 million now, from dropping below $5 million as he prepares the tentative budget.
"My gut feeling is that some on the board would want it to go down more," Bowerman said. "Some of them want a 0.0 percent tax increase, and I don't feel that's realistic."
Glen Supervisor Lawrence Coddington brought to light at Tuesday's full board meeting the county's history of raising taxes double digit percentages and then offsetting tax increases with large appropriations from the fund balance the next year. It's a "roller coaster" ride he would like to end, he said.
Strevy agreed.
"In the past, we've put the fund balance toward the budget to balance it and I think we should get away from using that as a funding cushion," Strevy said.
Amanda Whistle covers Montgomery County news. She can be reached at montco@leaderherald.com.
|
Jr88fanNY
|
|
|---|---|
|
07-31-10 11:18 PM
|
If they spent 10% if the time they do on handing out welfare to investigate those that are scamming the system they would have the money. Standing on my soap box yelling to be heard REMEMBER TO VOTE THEM ALL OUT OF OFFICE when they come up for re-election. I plan on voting my town supervisor out of office. Hope there is some one good in the town of Glen to run. Sadly I admit that I voted for him hoping he would do a good job. Axe the jobs if the need comes to it. They seem to have way too many staff now. Make the county workers work like they use to instead of having 3 to do the job of one. Also get rid of road patrol it is NOT mandated by the state like the jail is. The troopers can do the same job they do. Last of all quit giving Amsterdam more than their share.
|
|
upstatereformer
|
|
|
07-31-10 2:01 PM
|
Someone has to develope a backbone and just say NO!Problem exists also that most are related to each other brother and sister husband and wife so they cannot axe any jobs.We can downsize every place but Montgomery county employees why? They god ...No real action be taking till they themselves are facing hardship on paying increased taxes .... it is obvious they are not troubled or they would be cutting duplicating services.Let go them dinosaur employees costing us who will not retire past 75 and still cannot work a computer.
|
|
upstatereformer
|
|
|
07-31-10 1:56 PM
|
agree the time is over due cut the fat we cannot afford all the bloat the couny has created for the few left to pay for it.
|
|
FFCSMom
|
|
|
07-31-10 10:48 AM
|
I have to agree that job cuts and program cuts are a must here supervisors. I send the same message to Fonda School next year - I am a parent who does not want programs cut for my child but when we as taxpayers can't pay our taxes that program cuts have to be.
|
|
MrBoB51
|
|
|
07-31-10 10:46 AM
|
"I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents"-James Madison speaking before Congress in 1794. So here we are, in a County of 49,000 people whos property tax levy is around $24.6 million, then turns around and redistributes approx. $20.6 million dollars of that wealth to people who DID NOT EARN IT! Add the approx. $7 million paid to county workers to distribute that money and you get a whole lot of taxpayers saying ENOUGH. Cut,cut,cut. This is not a request, by the way, its a demand from the people who foot the bill.
|
|
rivinex
|
|
|
07-31-10 2:02 AM
|
What a situation. The mayor covering the fire chief's job? This doesn't sound like a good idea. Well I guess the workers can prove how redundant the boss is. No offense meant to Mr. Edwards of course.
|