Grant County revenue expected to dip

EPHRATA — The COVID-19 outbreak and the measures taken to fight it will mean less revenue for Grant County government, although county officials are not sure yet how much less.

State officials imposed severe restrictions on movement and business for about two and a half months in an effort to slow the outbreak. The state has instituted a phased approach to reopening.

Grant County Commissioner Cindy Carter said department heads will be asked to start with a 3 percent cut in spending, and that may not be the final request. She encouraged departments to cut their spending by more than 3 percent if possible.

Revenue and expenses were the subject of a discussion among commissioners and other elected officials Tuesday.

Grant County Treasurer Darryl Pheasant said he has been told sales tax revenues could be about $200,000 per month less than estimated in the 2020 budget for the rest of the year.

Sales tax revenues make up a substantial part of the county’s revenues. But a county doesn’t receive the revenue until about two months after the original sales transaction. Commissioner Richard Stevens said the revenue picture will be clearer when the June report is released, which will reflect sales, and sales taxes, for April.

Pheasant said the sales tax report wasn’t available as of Tuesday morning. Carter said state officials have announced there may be some delays in reporting to counties.

County officials have received the May revenue report, reflecting transactions made in March. Because the sales tax for online purchases goes to the county where the buyer lives, Pheasant said tax revenue wasn’t as badly affected as first anticipated. Sales tax revenues were about 2.5 percent less than projected, he said.

The county derives some revenue from investments, and Pheasant estimated that lower interest rates would cut that income by about half.