Commissioners presented with budget
County budget has $650,000 shortfall
By Bob Lassahn

Worcester County Commissioners face .the prospect of finding $650,000 to balance the FY 2006/2007. They have three options: reduce expenditures, generate additional revenues, or put together a combination of both.

The budget estimates presented by Gerald Mason, county administrative officer, showed revenues based upon current tax rates stand at approximately $165.1 million, while requested general fund operating expenditures total $165.7 million... The process of reconciling the difference between revenues and expenditures will take place during a series of budget review sessions with selected county departments and agencies, a public hearing and at least three work sessions. The date set for final adoption of the operating budget is June 6, during a regularly scheduled meeting.

Major increases in the requested budget include $64.1 million from the Board of Education, an increase of about $6.2 million over the current year. The request facilitates a 4 percent cost-of-living allowance, step increments for eligible employees and scale adjustments for support employees for a salary package of 6.5 percent. It also includes 23.5 new positions and the continuation of 6.5 positions presently funded through grants no longer available.

The FY 2007 board of education budget submission also includes increased funding from the state estimated at $1 million for a total of $15.7 million in state and other funding bringing the total to nearly $80 million.

Since the new budget covers an election year the Board of Elections faces poll expenses that require an increase over last year’s budget. Additionally state mandated equipment and procedures caused the elections office to request more than $863,000 over the current level of funding.

The Sheriff’s Department included two additional full-time deputy sheriffs  for road patrol and eleven new vehicles to increase its request to about $585,000 over the present level. Emergency services total requests increased by nearly $1.5 million.

Recreation and parks budget request is up by slightly over $1 million to facilitate improvements to existing park facilities and to fund four new positions. Mr. Mason noted a significant portion of the requested park improvements will be funded by grants.

Funding requests from the four towns and the unincorporated area of Ocean Pines increased by nearly $6 million over the current level. The proposed budget also transfers $2.1 million to reserves to protect the county’s excellent bond rating and creates a contingency fund based on newly enacted mandates requiring governments to account for, measure and report long term liabilities related to post employment benefits to workers. The proposed budget includes $2.5 million for general employees and $7.5 million for board of education employees committed to this contingency fund.

Salaries make up nearly 43 percent of the requested budget. The requests before the commissioners include a total of 54 new employees (30 for the Board of Education and 24 for other county departments) amounting to almost $1.7 million for new hires. Additionally, proposed salary increases, amount to more than $5.8 million.

One dynamic added to the budget deliberations could involve an anticipated reduction in the property tax rate. On a number of occasions Commissioner Tom Cetola has stated his desire to see the rate reduced from the present 73-cents per $100 of assessment, one of the lowest rates in the state, but he has not provided specifics on the actual amount under consideration nor when such action might be initiated.

The Worcester County Commissioners received the 934-page budget at the April 18 meeting. Mr. Mason commented the actual budget books were on the commissioners’ desks since hefting seven copies of the robust document to the meeting room was a bit unwieldy.

Budget review sessions are scheduled for April 25 and May 9. The public hearing will take place on Tuesday, May 2 at 7 p.m. at Snow Hill High School. At least three additional work sessions are scheduled for May 18, May 23 and May 30.

Send an Email Letter to Courier Editor - be sure to include your telephone number.