Grant County works to balance budget

Commissioners face $4.2 million gap

EPHRATA - Grant County commissioners are trying to find a way to close the $4.2 million gap between the county's proposed budget and expected revenue.

The 2009 proposed budget for the county's current expense fund is about $33.8 million and the county projects revenue to stay at about $29.7 million, which is about $2 million less than last year's approved budget.

The county general fund budget provides financing for running 28 county offices. About 80 percent of the budget is personnel.

Requests for funding rose the most in the district court, which was submitted at about $308,000 more than 2008. The prosecutor's office is seeking $186,932 more than the 2008 budget, according to county records. The sheriff's office requested $298,000 more and the jail requested $241,000 more than this year.

Most of these requests don't include cost of living increases in the salaries, Commissioner LeRoy Allison said. Of the eight bargaining units in the county, only the sheriff's office has negotiated a contract.

Allison said he wasn't sure whether the cost of living increases were already incorporated into the sheriff's office's $6.1 million request.

"We have to have a good reserve to cover those increases," he said.

While property tax revenue rose, Commissioner Cindy Carter said the sales tax revenue did drop.

"We are looking better than most counties in this position," she said. "It's just our expenses are up."

There also is some duplication of costs in some of the budgets, Allison said. Several departments have noticed they have positions listed twice in their budget.

"Hopefully (eliminating the duplication) will help us close the gap," he said.