County facing tax increase, budget cuts

Donley County is facing increased taxes and sharp spending cuts as commissioners try to balance the budget for the first time in several years.

But some county officials say the proposed cuts go too deep and are not being dealt out fairly.

The proposed 2001-2002 county budget increases ad valorem taxes by 7 percent and cuts spending by more than $59,000. Most of those cuts come in areas of personnel with one road hand being eliminated and secretaries in three county offices cut to part-time. Secretarial hours would also be cut in the county attorney’s office.

Personnel in other county offices would not get cut. Only one employee would receive a raise – that being the county attorney who reportedly agreed to take on some of her own secretarial work.

The affected officials say they never knew the cuts were coming. County Extension Agent Leon Church said he found out about it from a community member during a recent fundraiser.

“I was just very disappointed that I hadn’t heard it from the commissioners first,” Church said. “Not only did they cut [our secretary’s] hours in half, they also reduced her hourly wage.”

Employees reduced to part-time status would also lose health and retirement benefits.

Church said his office was never told about the county’s deficit or that commissioners were looking to make cuts. He was also not asked to recommend any cuts when he and other county officers presented their budget worksheets to commissioners.

“Cutting people is the last place I would cut,” he said. “They all have families.”

Justice of the Peace Jimmy Johnson was also taken aback by cuts in his office. He too will see his secretary cut to a half-time position.

“I could live with the other cuts [in supplies and equipment],” Johnson said, “but the personnel cut is the one that hurts.”

Like Church, Johnson said he had no idea of the county’s financial situation and doesn’t understand the reasoning behind the cuts.

“Nothing was ever said. Why was it just selective offices? I don’t know the rhyme or the reason behind this,” Johnson said. “I’ve never had any problem with the commissioners. They’ve always treated my office right until now.”

Johnson says his office generated $132,358.05 in income for the county from August 17, 2000, to August 17, 2001. His budget was cut from $45,327.64 to $33,533.27.

Church said his office is also a positive thing for the county. This year’s Health & Wealth Fair saved county residents an estimated $40,000 in health screening costs, and a recent cotton fertility trial showed local producers how to realize a $50/acre benefit in yield.

Tax Assessor Wilma Lindley’s office also received a personnel cut.

County Judge Jack Hall stresses that this is just the proposed budget and says each official will get a fair hearing before the commissioners’ court on August 30.

“We’re going to listen to exactly what they have to say,” Hall said.

But Hall does admit county officials were not informed of the deficit when they were asked to prepare their budget worksheets.

County finances are broken into two divisions – the road and bridge fund and the general fund. Road and bridge money can only be spent on road related expenses. The remainder of the county’s expenditures must come from the general fund.

In fiscal year 2000-2001, Donley County’s budget contained a $117,988.95 deficit in the general fund and a $114.732.03 deficit in the road and bridge fund. Those deficits were paid with monies the county has in reserve in certificates of deposit.

Treasurer Becky Jackson says the county has run a deficit for at least the last five years and has been paying for it out of reserves. The balance in the general fund reserve has depleted from $355,221.07 in October 1998 to just $70,229.12 as of July 20, 2001.

Despite the deficit situation, county commissioners cut taxes in 1998. That move cost the county several thousands of dollars the first year and is still hampering its efforts to catch up today, Judge Hall said.

Jackson said she had been warning commissioners for years that they could not continue spending from the reserves, and she sympathizes with commissioners now.

“Those cuts were not an easy thing for them to do,” she said.

Jackson said commissioners looked at their own budgets and have shifted expenditures for their salaries and their road hands’ salaries to the road and bridge fund to ease pressure on the general fund.

Pct. 3 Commissioner Buster Shields says he intends to look at his own budget again to find more cuts in his precinct.

“Everybody is trying to give a little bit,” said Pct 1 Commissioner Ernie Johnston. “We just can’t keep running a deficit like that.”

Criticism has surfaced that the Courthouse Restoration Project is to blame for the budget cuts. But Judge Hall rejects that notion.

“It’s a sound investment on the part of the county to restore that courthouse rather than issue bonds for several million dollars to build a different one. No one else is going to give you 85 cents for 15 cents,” he said referring to the 85-15 courthouse grant from the state.

Payment on the tax notes for the courthouse in fiscal 2001-2002 will total $100,312.50.

“I think it’s neat that we’re going to restore our courthouse,” said Church, “but we may have a nice building and no county services.”

Both Church and Johnson say they intend to be there when commissioners hold their budget hearing on August 30, and Church has a suggestion for them.

“I’d like to see the court ask all the department heads to come back in two or three days and find a way that we can all share in this deficit.”

Final approval of the budget is scheduled for the court’s regular meeting on September 10.