County budget points to tough decisions for 2014

Whitman County commissioners are finding they may have no choice but to lay off employees and cut hours to balance the 2014 budget.

County Administrator Gary Petrovich told commissioners Monday he and financial director Cinnamon Brown had trimmed the deficit from a little more than $1 million down to $498,000, but added there was no more adjusting or trimming they could do.

Brown and Petrovich found $115,000 of current operating cash that can be used in 2014; elimination of Internet Technology interfund charges to departments of $18,000; elimination of one pay period of $350,000 that would be for the last part of December 2013; and district court cash movement for 2013 to 2014 of $100,000.

After Petrovich explained the budget deficit trim, commission chair Michael Largent said, “This is not really what a sustainable budget is.”

Largent said he wants to develop an overall strategy to get to a sustainable budget so the county won’t have to go through the cycle of layoffs and cutbacks it has had to go through the last few years.

“How much money will it take to get to a sustainable budget level?” Largent asked Petrovich.

“The county’s revenue for the general fund runs between $12 to $12.5 million and expenses are running at the $13 million mark. All departments will have to be below the $12.5 million mark,” Petrovich said.

“We need to figure out how to match our revenue with our expenditures,” Largent said.

“There is no question that as long as the state keeps declining revenue, there will be noticeable cuts in the future.

“We need a formula written out so we can work from it.”

“In a very general number, you’d have to keep your expenses under $13 million,” Petrovich said. “You’re going to have to struggle with this.”

County Treasurer Bob Lothspeich suggested a levy lift that would bump up property taxes two cents per $1,000 of assessed value, but that would have to be approved by a vote.

Largent said although that money would plug a hole, it wouldn’t be a long term solution.

“It is what it is,” Commissioner Art Swannack said after the meeting. “It’s like wheat. If you haven’t got enough to sell, you’ve got to cut back on expenses. We’ve got to cut back and I don’t like it because it means people and jobs.”

Dec. 2 is the final budget hearing.