Cocke County finance committee makes little budget progress – Citizentribune

Members of the Cocke County Finance Committee spent 90 minutes Monday evening discussing a new budget and came away with no progress.

Finance Manager Anne Bryant-Hurst told the committee last week the budget requests total $1.8 million more than the anticipated revenue, and that a 34 cent increase will be necessary to fund the current requests.

Mayor Crystal Ottinger said fees from whitewater rafting are down by $47,000 for July.

Chair of the committee Andy Tritt reported that state officials say the county needs a serious fix but have no recommendation.

The committee expressed concern that a major property tax increase would have a significant impact on large industry in the area.

Bryant-Hurst said the new budget is beginning with a very low balance in the general fund. Legal fees paid to outside law firms were up last year, as were jail medical costs, and the state has hiked the audit fee by 20 percent.

She said in years past, revenues have done significantly better than had been projected, but not last year.

This year we are just barely doing better than we projected, with the ending fund balance just about $250,000, she said. I dont think you will get there without a property tax increase. I dont think you will be able to take out enough of the requests to balance the budget.

She said in the past, the committee always was looking for a way to again have a budget without a tax increase, but this year, the fund balance wont allow that.

Bryant-Hurst suggested the committee first balance the budget, then set priorities and targets for looming expenditures including an industrial park and a jail, as part of long-term planning. She also pointed out that roads, recreation and schools have needs.

Sheriff Armando Fontes argued that a jail is needed to reduce the liability of the county, and he pointed to recent assaults in the jail which he said is partially due to overcrowding. He also said his administration has brought in more revenue through seizures.

Several commissioners again suggested that problem inmates be released from jail and monitored through an ankle GPS program.

Commissioner Calvin Ball said his constituents want a wheel tax over a property tax hike. However, a wheel tax likely could not be implemented in time to bring in revenue this fiscal year, because tax payers may decide to challenge such a tax.

Commissioner Clayton Skip Ellison again argued for an industrial park and Tritt said employees of the Partnership should not be employed by a non-profit but should be employees of the city or county.

The committee agreed to meet again the evening of July 31 and to invite other commissioners and department heads, in an effort to develop a budget.

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Cocke County finance committee makes little budget progress - Citizentribune