The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Carthage, Jasper County

Discussion

December 18, 2009

Jasper County eyeing cuts to balance 2010 budget

By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Budget cuts of up to $150,000 may be needed to balance Jasper County’s general revenue budget for next year, according to Richard Webster, county auditor.

The auditor, who is county budget officer, said he has been working on budget revisions since late November, after presenting to the County Commission a preliminary budget that projected general fund revenues would fall $1.5 million short of spending.

Webster said he had been hoping for an increase in sales tax receipts, but proceeds from the county’s general revenue sales tax were down in December.

“For the year, tax collections were down 5.5 percent,” he said. “Last year, we got more than $5.9 million; this year, it’s down about $325,000.”

In the wake of year-end sales tax collections being tallied last week, Webster said the County Commission has asked him to go through all the county department spending and revenue projections “and make whatever adjustments are needed to balance the budget.”

John Bartosh, presiding commissioner, agreed: “We’ve asked him to make the cuts and balance the budget.

“If anybody disagrees, they can come and fight with us.”

Earlier, the county was looking at a general fund budget that anticipated spending at $16.5 million, about $1.2 million more than was estimated as revenues. Since then, Webster said the deficit has been trimmed by about $200,000.

“But we’re going to need about $1 million to balance, and I think I’ll be lucky if we end up with $850,000. So, we’re going to be looking for cuts,” he said.

Based on the commission’s direction, Webster said he will be looking for savings in all department budgets.

“I’ll be comparing what they’ve asked for with past history and other information,” he said. “If it’s reasonable, we’ll leave it alone. If I think they can get by with less, I’ll be making adjustments.”

Webster said the commission still wants Sheriff Archie Dunn to pay, from the law enforcement sales tax fund, an additional $300,000 in law enforcement expenses now paid for by general revenues.

Dunn has agreed to some additional expenditures, but not the full amount.

Bartosh said he expects there will be some discussions with the sheriff, but added, “No one is going to be excluded if we need to look at cuts.”

“We’ve been lucky before, because we’ve always been able to balance the budget,” he said. “It’s not that way this year.”

The county for the past several years has set aside money, now totaling $150,000, for an emergency fund. Some of that may be spent this year, the auditor said.

State law requires the commission to adopt a budget by Jan. 10, but Webster said he hopes the work can be done by Dec. 31.

“It’s going to depend on whether negotiations are needed with department heads,” he said.

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