CENTRE — Because of yet another year of flat revenues, there were few major changes to the county government's operating budget for Fiscal Year 2012, the man who helped write the plan told The Post last week.

And Administrator Tim Burgess said that's actually a good thing, considering the current state of the state's economy.

“We've been lucky, really,” Burgess said.

Burgess said sales tax and ad valorem, or property, tax collections have been “relatively flat” over the past year. The result is a 2012 operating budget that looks a lot like the 2011 version.

“I budgeted for a little bit less in sales tax, while hoping that things will improve,” he said. “I did reduce sales tax in my estimated revenues.”

One bright spot of the new budget – for county employees, at least – was the desire of the four members of the County Commission to find a way to give their workforce a slight pay hike.

“The employees did get a cost-of-living allowance, countywide, which was 25 cents an hour,” Burgess said. “I didn't recommend that, but the commissioners asked for it late in the budget process and offered to use some of the money they have in their tobacco tax account to fund it.”

Burgess said the cost amounts to an additional $80,000 over the course of the entire year. He explained that the account is the primary source of discretionary money for the commissioners.

“They use that money a lot for schools and fire departments,” Burgess said, “but I don't think it will affect what they get because that account still had $160,000 at the end of the year.”

Burgess was forced to add funding for the county jail.

“Our jail is just about at maximum capacity,” he said. “The food bill has gotten higher because of more inmates.”

Burgess said it is too soon to estimate how the state's new immigration law might affect the overcrowding at the jail. The law allows police and deputies to arrest people suspected of being in the country illegally and hold them without bond.

But Burgess said the law has already resulted in additional spending in other areas.

“We did budget more for postage because we are having to send out a lot of notices telling people about the new law and the specifics of it,” Burgess said.
Another increase Burgess had to cover was fuel costs.

“We did it for the sheriff's department and the highway department,” he said.

Staying with the highway department, Burgess said the commissioners were able find a way to purchase several new pieces of sorely-needed heavy equipment for the road crews.

“We are trying to replenish their equipment, and then sell the old stuff that has been there since the 1970s,” Burgess said. “They didn't get all the items they asked for but we were able to get most of them.”

Burgess said the equipment purchases were financed using highway sales tax money, as opposed to funds from general operations. He said that account still holds around $1.5 million and is typically used for paving projects.

Burgess said that overall, there were scant few areas where commissioners did not agree on how to dole out funds for the new fiscal year, which included decisions to reduce funding for some departments.

“Some of them did get reduced budgets, but I've not heard any negative comments,” Burgess said. “I think our employees understand the economic situation we're in.”

Does less money mean the county will be forced to lay off any employees?

“Not at this point,” Burgess said. “We're telling the heads of the departments to stretch out their dollars, look for bargains. We need to buy the least expensive items, things like that – but nothing drastic.”