Commission Adopts $10 Million Budget
The Jasper County Commission voted 3-2 Monday evening to adopt a budget of $10,068,310 for Fiscal Year 2018.
The two dissenting votes were Bruce Henry and Doug Luke, who wanted to wait until the county has firm numbers on health insurance. Kelly Fox is scheduled to speak to the commissioners Monday, May 22, with firm prices for health insurance options.
The commissioners did not determine which millage rate to adopt. They have been looking at a rate of 16.446 mills or the rollback rate of 15.945 mills. They also looked at a lower millage rate, but felt like fund balance would take too hard a hit. Commissioner Henry was the one who wanted the lower rate, and does not understand taxing more. With the budget of $10,068,310, fund balance will be used to balance the budget no matter which millage rate is adopted. Fund balance is money that is used to fund the county when taxes are not coming in, and can serve as a cushion if the county does go over budget.
Chief Financial Officer Rhonda Blissit has said she’d like to see the fund balance at $5 million, 50 percent of the annual budget to be prepared for emergencies.
Commissioners have been discussing the budget for weeks and although budget requests came in substantially higher than last year, they asked County Manager Mike Benton to get the department’s to cut from the 2017 budget. The primary increases in the 2018 budget are mandated increases and health insurance.
Although property values increased, revenues remain essentially flat, thereby leaving no money for increased expenses.
Chief Appraiser Lynn Bentley talked with commissioners some time ago, and showed the increase in the tax bill based on the increase in property values.
Commissioners Henry and Doug Luke argue that property owners have to pay more because of increased values, but they see no more services.
Mrs. Bentley gave the commissioners a printout showing the increase in values and what it will cost the property owner. Basically, on her property that went up the most in value, the difference in what she will pay between the 16.44 mills and the 16.94 mills is only $9, and hers is the largest increase shown.
Commissioner Doug Luke says by adopting the rollback rate, it at least shows property owners they’re trying.
The rollback rate would require the county to take $265,6489 from fund balance to balance the budget. The 16.44 rate would only require $66,128 from fund balance to balance the budget. The commissioners are not in agreement about where fund balance should be.
Both scenarios use $150,000 from curbside funds to balance the budget.
Norma Jeanne Trammell, the widow of Commissioner Gene Trammell, spoke at the end of the meeting reminding commissioners that taxes are a price you pay for living in a civilized world. Our tax dollars go for our county and our well being, she said.
She said she hears everyone say they don’t want Monticello to change, but that property owners can expect to pay higher taxes if we don’t bring in industry.
Charles Forsythe said the county overcharged the citizens two mills to operate the county by approving last year’s budget, since there will be more than $550,000 left over at the end of this budget year. He also said curbside is not a slush fund, and it has been used to balance the budget two of the last three years.
