The Kitsap County Board of Commissioners today approved more
than
$1 million in cuts from the county’s 2007 budget. Trimming this
year’s budget will make for a “softer landing” in 2008, when an
anticipated revenue shortfall hits the county’s general fund, said
Ben Holland, the county’s director of administrative services.
Commissioners also agreed to continue a hiring freeze that was
instituted at the beginning of the year.
Holland’s comment brings to mind the chilling image of a plane
navigating through choppy air as flight attendants scurry to make
sure passengers are wearing their seat belts. Right now, we’re
talking 1 million in cuts from a budget of nearly $329 million.
County budget officials are trying to get a handle on 2008 budget
predictions. No one knows for sure just how rough the landing will
be. One thing officials say with certainty is that the downward
trend is sure to continue.
Today a hiring freeze, tomorrow, layoffs? SK Commissioner Jan Angel
has said, “That’s a very real possibility.”
Reasons cited for the shortfall in the county’s 2007 Budget Book include
unfunded mandates required by the state, increased costs for health
insurance, and for law and justice programs (which make up 63
percent of the county’s general fund), skyrocketing energy costs
and the 1 percent limit on existing property tax revenue
established by I-747.
New North Kitsap Commissioner Steve Bauer, noting that property
taxes are “one of the primary sources of revenue for us,” said the
results of I-747 have been that revenues from property taxes have
not kept up with inflation.
The $1.06 million worth of budget cuts includes a $400,000
reduction in the board’s “one-time” expenditures, a fund that the
three commissioners can access for special projects or needs that
come up during the year. Other reductions include $410,000 in
savings by delaying the purchase of computer equipment, $152,000 in
savings by delaying hiring when a vacated position requires annual
and sick leave cash outs, and $98,000 reduced spending on temporary
help.
The cuts will affect all departments. Department managers have been
working over the last six months to identify ways to shore up fund
balances against a budget shortfall that will hit the general fund
in 2008 and the county’s road fund in 2010.
Speaking of South Kitsap Reporter Chris Henry talks about life in the county seat of Port Orchard and surrounding areas.
Budget Cut???
They cut .004% and they call that a budget cut and we actually elected these people.
I believe the $329 million figure overstates the locally funded portion of the general fund budget by quite a bit. That $329 million includes a lot of state and federal funding that is earmarked for specific uses — so the county cannot cut it and save anything. Assuming the county could choose not to spend it, the county would not get the funds.
The locally funded general fund budget is less than $100 million a year.
Aside from that, how could delaying budgeted expenditures do anything more than push those costs into next year or the year after? It isn’t a reduction in spending that would actually reduce the deficit the county says is coming in the next year or two.
One problem with calculators is that they often will give you an answer regardless of what you ask.
.004% of $329 million is $13,160, not $1 million.
$1m is more like 3/10’s of 1%.
That said – Bob’s right in first looking at what is really in the control of the commissioners to cut – and secondly identifying that delaying an expenditure isn’t a cut…unless the delay is permanent.