County Adopts 2017 Budget
September 9, 2016 at 7:41 p.m.
By Dan [email protected]
The entire approved budget totals $38,037,814 and includes the general budget ($21 million) that pays for many of the basic government functions and relies on property taxes.
The county general budget for 2016 was approved at $15,709,767. With the changes, the county general budget increases to $21,458737 in 2017.
The county general budget looks much bigger than in past years because the state mandated that counties now shift the county option income tax revenues from its own fund to one inside the county general budget.
That shift represents $4.9 million of the $5.7 million increase in the county general budget, said county auditor Michelle Puckett.
“It’s just a shifting of dollars,” Puckett said.
Much of the remaining increase is due to a salary hike for all county employees and increased cost of health insurance, Puckett said.
Despite tax caps, the state allows some growth each year.
“We were approved for a 3.8 percent growth quotient statewide, so our levy will go up about that 3.8 percent,” Puckett said.
Increasing assessed property values should help keep the tax rate down, she said.
County Council President Bob Sanders lauded the work by department heads for keeping requests low.
“Keeping it at the size we kept it at and the increases that are there, I think we did a good job this year for next year,” Sanders said before final adoption.
The final budget vote was 7-0.
The budget includes a 2 percent wage hikes for all county employees. Councilman Jon Fussle voted against the wage hike while the other six supported it.
Among those voting were Ernie Wiggins, who joined council after being selected by Republicans to replace Brad Tandy, who resigned last month. Wiggins has been attending recent county meetings to stay up with budget issues.
In other matters, council approved funding to upgrade 159 police radios needed to keep up with changes in the state radio system, said Ed Rock, emergency management director for the county.
Upgrades of the infrastructure by the state of Indiana requires a corresponding upgrade at the local level, Rock said.
Approval of the $35,000 appropriation comes weeks before a necessary switch over to a new 800 megahertz radio frequency.
Without the changes, the equipment would be “useless by mid-October,” said Rock.
He reminded council that they had collected nearly $29,000 from fees from Sprint that were turned over to the county that can help offset the costs.
Rock also noted that surrounding counties have already upgraded to the new system.
Another 26 radios owned by the county but used by Lutheran EMS won’t be upgraded with county money, Rock said.
Council approved the request with a 6-1 vote. Fussle voted against the spending request.
The entire approved budget totals $38,037,814 and includes the general budget ($21 million) that pays for many of the basic government functions and relies on property taxes.
The county general budget for 2016 was approved at $15,709,767. With the changes, the county general budget increases to $21,458737 in 2017.
The county general budget looks much bigger than in past years because the state mandated that counties now shift the county option income tax revenues from its own fund to one inside the county general budget.
That shift represents $4.9 million of the $5.7 million increase in the county general budget, said county auditor Michelle Puckett.
“It’s just a shifting of dollars,” Puckett said.
Much of the remaining increase is due to a salary hike for all county employees and increased cost of health insurance, Puckett said.
Despite tax caps, the state allows some growth each year.
“We were approved for a 3.8 percent growth quotient statewide, so our levy will go up about that 3.8 percent,” Puckett said.
Increasing assessed property values should help keep the tax rate down, she said.
County Council President Bob Sanders lauded the work by department heads for keeping requests low.
“Keeping it at the size we kept it at and the increases that are there, I think we did a good job this year for next year,” Sanders said before final adoption.
The final budget vote was 7-0.
The budget includes a 2 percent wage hikes for all county employees. Councilman Jon Fussle voted against the wage hike while the other six supported it.
Among those voting were Ernie Wiggins, who joined council after being selected by Republicans to replace Brad Tandy, who resigned last month. Wiggins has been attending recent county meetings to stay up with budget issues.
In other matters, council approved funding to upgrade 159 police radios needed to keep up with changes in the state radio system, said Ed Rock, emergency management director for the county.
Upgrades of the infrastructure by the state of Indiana requires a corresponding upgrade at the local level, Rock said.
Approval of the $35,000 appropriation comes weeks before a necessary switch over to a new 800 megahertz radio frequency.
Without the changes, the equipment would be “useless by mid-October,” said Rock.
He reminded council that they had collected nearly $29,000 from fees from Sprint that were turned over to the county that can help offset the costs.
Rock also noted that surrounding counties have already upgraded to the new system.
Another 26 radios owned by the county but used by Lutheran EMS won’t be upgraded with county money, Rock said.
Council approved the request with a 6-1 vote. Fussle voted against the spending request.
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