Halifax County Commissioner Gene Minton says he cannot support the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year until staff finds a way to not dip into the fund balance.
Minton’s comments came following a public hearing in which no one spoke.
While Minton commended staff for not proposing a tax increase for next fiscal year, he said today, “I believe we have to broaden the scope of being more efficient. I don’t feel like we’ve done a good enough job of balancing the budget without going into the fund balance.”
Minton called upon County Manager Tony Brown and the rest of the staff to deliver a budget without going into the fund balance for 2011-2012.
“Personally, I don’t disagree with him,” Brown said, adding he would like to explore an efficiency study. “Still, I’m proud of the way we managed the budget. We had a large enough fund balance to do this.”
Brown told the board he didn’t like using the fund balance to present a balanced budget but considered the current economic situation to be an emergency. “There are a lot of places that don’t have that option.”
Board Chairman James Pierce said the county needs to look at new ways to be more efficient.
Minton said during a break in the meeting it initially felt like the last two years were a temporary economic situation. “We’re not in a temporary situation. You’ve got to adjust the way you do business.”
Until he sees leadership on the matter, he said, “I’m not going to support this budget. I think it’s not good business.”
Commissioners opted in April to take $2.072 million from its fund balance to save cutting jobs and hours.
The move saves 23 full time employees from having their hours cut, two full time positions from being cut and two part time positions from being cut.
The move also gives the county a draft financial plan for the next fiscal year in the low $30 million range which is balanced. The tax rate remains unchanged at 68 cents per $100 of valuation.
The move, however, leaves several requests slashed. The Choanoke Area Development Association will see its request cut 10 percent, the Lake Gaston Weed Control Council will only get $50,000 and no money was budgeted for the Roanoke Rapids Main Street program.
The county already adopted some savings measures this fiscal year, the press release noted. The county is saving up to 70 percent in costs by requiring employees to use county vehicles if available for travel. It also combined Human Resources, Aging and Veterans into Human Resources Management.
Driving the lean budget are sales taxes which are down by 28 percent and a 78 percent reduction in interest earned accounts, Brown said following the meeting, along with a poor economy.
Other highlights of the budget include:
• Property tax collections have been consistent
• Current year 1.4 percent reductions in total budget
• Schools got cut by 3 percent as well for the current year, including HCC
• The tax collection rate is between 95 percent to 96 percent.
