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COUNTY FACED WITH $1.5-MILLION DEFICIT
Monday, April 7th, 2008 -- 8:49 am
Posted by Riley Hebert-News Director
Clark County will face a huge budget deficit in 2009.
The Finance Committee met Friday for the last time before reorganization. It's clear the new county board members elected Tuesday will inherit some big financial problems.
"You're probably going to be $1.5-million short. That we can see," explained Finance Manager Terri Domaszek.
The County faces a state-imposed levy increase limit of 2%, or $225,000. Wage increases alone are expected to cost $700,000, plus the county has virtually used up some department fund balances.
Plus, less cash on hand leads to less interest revenue.
"In the '07 budget, we had a surplus of over $300,000 of interest income. In the '08 budget, we may be short," Domaszek warned.
All these numbers will require the finance committee to make "changes," which could mean layoffs or service reductions.
"When we go through the budget process, some of these departments will adjust for it within their budgets: Highway (Department) has a tendency to do less miles. But we are only to go up $225,000, and that's a known."
Many have speculated the turnover on the Board, coupled with the grim numbers, will lead to a renewed push to implement a half-percent county sales tax.
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