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October 25, 2009

Anonymous The Joplin Globe Sun Oct 25, 2009, 11:38 PM CDT

By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Jasper County commissioners hope to meet this week with Sheriff Archie Dunn to discuss spending more money from the law enforcement sales tax to reduce the strain on the county’s general revenue budget next year.

Year-end reserves normally are targeted to help balance the next year’s budget. As of last week, the county’s law enforcement sales tax fund had a balance of more than $1.6 million, while the balance in the general revenue fund that finances most county operations was almost $1.3 million.

Richard Webster, county auditor and budget officer, said the commission had asked him “to identify law enforcement expenses paid for out of general revenue where they might be able to ask the sheriff for some help.”

Webster said he sent Dunn a memo requesting a meeting and including a list of about $300,000 in law enforcement expenditures that are paid from general revenue.

“These are things we’d like the sheriff to consider paying for, rather than them coming from general revenue,” said Darieus Adams, Western District associate commissioner.

John Bartosh, presiding commissioner, said he had not discussed the proposal with the sheriff. He said he believes Dunn “will help in every way he can.”

“I want us all to get together and talk about it,” Bartosh said. “He (Dunn) hasn’t had the sales tax for that long, so he didn’t know how much he needed. Now, he’s got a handle on it.”

Dunn championed the quarter-cent sales tax for law enforcement as a way to allow him to increase the number of deputies on patrol, and upgrade their pay and equipment. The measure was approved by voters in November 2005.

In a brief telephone interview, the sheriff acknowledged receiving the memo but said he wanted to wait to discuss the request.

“I don’t know when there will be a meeting,” he said. “I think we ought to wait until closer to budget time.”

Webster is working on proposed budgets that will go to the commission for revision and final action. The fiscal year starts Jan. 1.

The auditor said he expects the commission will discuss expenditures with most officeholders and department heads, because the economic downtown is shrinking county revenues.

Proceeds from county sales tax collections are down more than 5.2 percent from those of a year ago. The three-eighths-cent general revenue sales tax produced $5.9 million in 2008, and the quarter-cent sales tax for law enforcement generated $3.9 million.

“We worry every year if we’ll have enough reserves to balance,” Webster said. “But this year, it’s more difficult because sales taxes are down, other revenues are flat, and insurance and retirement costs are higher.”

Just over $2 million from the law enforcement tax was transferred to the general fund this year to cover part of the department’s salaries and benefits. The amount is part of a $3.4 million transfer. A $3.6 million allocation is estimated next year, Webster said.

The reserve in the law enforcement fund is not the largest among county sales tax funds. There is a $4 million balance in the road and bridge fund. Road projects are overseen by Jim Honey, Eastern District associate commissioner, who said bridge construction and road maintenance contracts totaling more than $3.1 million recently were awarded. The county has a quarter-cent sales tax for road and bridge work.

“We got slowed down this year for a variety of reasons, but that money will be spent,” he said.

Memo

In a memo to Sheriff Archie Dunn, county Auditor Richard Webster cited some law enforcement expenses that are paid from the general revenue fund. The list included vehicle insurance, estimated to cost $95,970; inmate catastrophic health insurance, $42,669; jail physician, $54,000; and telephone expenses, $31,680.