County commissioners begin budget workshop today

The Lincoln County commissioners today will begin the process of whittling down the proposed budget.

Lincoln County Clerk and Recorder Robin Benson said the commissioners will likely spend the next month determining which departments will receive the increase in funding requested earlier this year and which departments will have to operate with fewer resources.

“The cost of doing business is increasing,” Benson said. “So the commissioners have a tough job ahead of them.”

Once the commissioners are able to reduce the mills requested down to the 105 mark, Benson said that mill count is not expected to raise taxes for Lincoln County residents. In order to provide all the funding requested by different county departments, the county would have to raise taxes to 134 mills. The statewide cap is 105.41 mills. Last year, the county was nearing the state cap, with a finalized budget including 101.13 mills.

By dollar amount, the departments have asked for a total $340,000 increase in funding, not including the increase to county employee insurance, which will increase by $141,533, or 9.72 percent. Benson said departments request an increase in funding for several reasons: the cost of information technology computers, program and maintenance has increased; other departments are looking to add a new full-time employee or a temporary one.

Luckily for the commissioners, some departments have offered a reduction in funding, including the county airport and the Troy and Eureka parks departments.

Benson said in order to make the numbers work, commissioners will likely redirect state and federal revenues to different departments, which have traditionally been allocated directly to the roads department.

Starting today, the commissioners will examine the budget and meet with department heads one-on-one to determine where funding will be a priority and which discretionary departments may have to see a reduction.

“Now, they’re getting into the specifics,” Benson said.

Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.