From the Clark County News and Tribune:
The Clark County Council and the Clark County Commissioners were able to reach an agreement after a lengthy discussion on how to bridge a substantial gap in the budget approved by the council and the $7.9 million budget returned by the state.
The council met in a special meeting Friday afternoon to try and figure out a way to answer the $7.9 million the Department of Local Government Finance approved in its 1782 notice.
However, Clark County Councilman Brian Lenfert said the $7.9 million budget passed is not an accurate picture of the county’s finances.
From the $16.4 million budget approved by the county council, the $7.9 million does not factor in $4.5 million of certified shares — also known as county adjusted gross income tax — that will be part of the county’s budget and $1.1 million remaining from last year’s budget. As a result, the county was left searching for about $3.5 million to cover in order to pay for operations.
Clark County Council President Barbara Hollis said one of the reasons there is such a huge difference is the Cumulative Bridge Fund rate was raised last year from $355,000 to $1.6 million.
“That has made a difference of $1.3 million in our shortfall ... because our levy is maxed out,” she said.
Another concern raised by the council were cuts made to the Clark County Health Department’s budget that total about $140,000. To help restore the health department’s budget, which was agreed to by the council, and help cover the remaining shortfall, the council asked the commissioners to return their cumulative bridge rate back to the previous year’s collection of about $350,000.
But the commissioners were unwilling to cut the cumulative bridge fund rate, citing the danger of bridges that are in need of repair — specifically pointing to a bridge on Utica Pike over Lancassange Creek.
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The council unanimously agreed with a 6-0 vote to accept the compromise relating to the bridge funds and to send the revised budget back to the state for final approval. Councilman Kevin Vissing was absent from the meeting.
Despite the approval, the commissioners have the right to appeal the council’s decision to lower the cumulative bridge fund by $800,000.
http://newsandtribune.com/clarkcounty/x2045491080/Clark-County-takes-big-budget-hit
