Commission seeks serious suggestions on balancing budget
Carbon County Commissioners are appealing to the public to provide comments or suggestions on how to add more revenue to the county’s budget, or how to trim the expenditures – up to and including layoffs.
During the regular commission meeting of Jan. 4, Commissioner Jae Potter opened a public review and discussion of the 2017 county budget for what he termed, “The first in a series of opportunities for the public, the media to learn more about government budgeting, particularly the Carbon County budget.”
Potter referred to the input received at a recent public hearing on the proposed property tax increase. Dozens of comments, all opposed to the tax increase, were recorded at the hour-long public hearing segment of the marathon December 21 regular County Commission meeting. “It was proposed that we would raise our property taxes nine percent, which would generate about $450,000 in revenue,” he recalled. “After that hearing, everybody left, and nobody saw, really, what the county budget consists of.”
A big gap
Potter pointed out that there is an 18 percent gap between revenue and expenses. “We did pass a balanced budget,” he said. “But that balanced budget requires us to use approximately $6 million in surplus. We don’t have surplus to go on and on and on, year after year. What we need to know is, What is it we want to pay for? That’s where I want this discussion to center.” He said the Commission is looking for suggestions on ways to increase revenue, how to become more efficient, and if more cuts need to be made. Potter conceded, “We’ve been spoiled. We’ve become accustomed to the mineral money dollars, and now is a tougher time.”
According to a Carbon County 2017 Budget Summary provided by Clerk/Auditor Seth Oveson the budgeted revenue totals $32,420,788, while the budgeted expense amounts to $39,334,324.
Spending cuts
Potter affirmed the Commission has made cuts, has done away with things, has shrunk the number of employees and, “We’ve done anything we could to continue to operate at the level we are.”
But Potter also held out hope for the revenue stream from mineral lease royalties to improve. He declared, “Coal isn’t dead, and one of the future discussions we’ll have is in regards to the economic development, the number of projects that we have, that we’re working on, and we appeal to you as the public to help us bring business to Carbon County.”
The full 29-page 2017 budget is posted on the county’s website, carbon.utah.gov under administration and budget. Comments and suggestions may be submitted to Commission Secretary Sandy Lehman by calling 636-3226, by sending an email to sandy.lehman@carbon.utah.gov, or by sending a letter through the US Postal Service to 751 East 100 North, Suite 2700, Price, Utah 84501.
Public meetings scheduled
The commissioners will hold a series of public work meetings to discuss county budgets, specifically focusing on revenues, expenses and services provided by various county departments. The work meetings will take place in the Commission Chambers of the Carbon County Administration Building at 751 East 100 North in Price, on the following days and times:
Wednesday, January 11, 2017 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 18, 2017 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
All members of the public are invited to attend and participate.