Story Published: Sep 7, 2011 at 9:48 PM PDT
Story Updated: Sep 7, 2011 at 9:48 PM PDT
Nez Perce County Commissioner Doug Havens.
County officials unanimously passed a $33 million budget Tuesday night after an hour long public meeting. Since early this year, commissioners have taken a close look at the numbers to see where they can save.
"We asked all the department heads to scour their budgets and cut as much as we could," said County Commissioner Doug Havens. "And after the first numbers came in, we asked them to go back again and make even more cuts."
Havens said departments have done a great job, despite all the budget cuts. But Havens said one unexpected turn made it necessary to impose the maximum 3% property tax increase.
"What's driving the county budget, at least for the next few years, is the jail payments that the county is obligated to make," said Havens.
County Clerk Patty Weeks said the jail payments have been a concern for officials for some time, and something that's driven many of the deep cuts made this year.
"Our big goal is to save money for the jail bond payments that are coming up," said Weeks.
Back when county residents voted for this new facility, a public option sales tax was created to make up for those future payments. Weeks said a downturn in the economy has made it so that revenue no longer fits the bill.
"It's been decreasing," said Weeks. "In 2007, we had about $3.2 million that we received coming into the county for the local option sales tax, and we haven't been anywhere close to that since."
But some residents said that's not their problem. Property owner Donita Weddle said she'll likely have to pass the increase onto her renters, something she doesn't want to do.
"A lot of it, I can't pass all of it on," said Weddle. "The property taxes already take all of my profits, so I'm not very happy about this."
Havens said it was a difficult choice to make, but looming million dollar payments didn't leave them much choice.
"We're trying to save up enough to reduce our expenditures to meet that obligation," said Havens. "So a perfect storm absolutely. That's what it is and it's coming quick."
