County calls for tax hike

Donley County is proposing an increase in its road and bridge tax as part of its budget proposal for fiscal year 2016.
The County Special tax rate, which funds road and bridge maintenance, will increase by more than three cents from $0.107900 to $0.14 in proposed budget. The county’s total tax rate – ad valorem, special, and debt rate combined – will go from $0.627654 to $0.657406 and will raise the annual tax on a home valued at $100,000 by $29.75.
The $2.2 million budget proposed by commissioners is about $36,000 higher than the current budget
County Judge John Howard said the fiscal year 2015 budget had some road and bridge expense in the maintenance and operations budget and that has been moved back to the road and bridge budget in the proposal.
“We hope to engage a multiyear approach to improve the state of roads in the county,” Howard said.
Total road and bridge budget disbursements increase by more than $77,000 in the proposed budget.
One notable stand out in the budget is an $8,000 reduction in the county’s support of the Burton Memorial Library from $33,000 down to $25,000. Howard said the revenue just isn’t there for the current level of support and that the county had to deal with mandatory expenditures versus discretionary expenditures, which included the library.
The budget offers no raises for county employees, reflects a 4.21 percent increase in health care premiums, and adjusts expected non-tax revenues down to reflect actual income.
Income from the district and county courts for fiscal year 2015 was budgeted at $110,000 combined, but the reality has been far short of that. The proposed budget reduces that expected income by $60,000 down to $50,000, which the judge says is closer to what those courts will actually bring in.
Howard called the budget “forward looking” and said the county is working on a five-year plan to take a long range look at vehicle and equipment expenses.
The judge said he hopes to see Donley County accomplish three goals in the coming years: 1) Improve roads; 2) Move salaries to a point where the county can retain and attract competent employees; and 3) Build an operating reserve for the county.
The judge said he is taking a $2,100 pay cut from the county to help with expenses and that his office has adopted shortened hours (Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to reduce costs.
Public tax hearings will be held September 4 at 9:00 a.m. and September 8 at 10:30 a.m., and both the tax rate and the budget will be voted on by commissioners following a budget hearing on September 14 at 9 a.m.