Oakesdale 2024 Current Expense Fund increase

OAKESDALE— The Town of Oakesdale released its 2024 Budget totals.

At a population of 400 as of 2023, Oakesdale maintains a current expense fund according to RCW 35.37.010, which the Washington State Legislature requires any town with less than twenty thousand inhabitants to maintain.

Town of Oakesdale Clerk/Treasurer Mary DeGon said that the current expense is one of those funds you hope you make money off of because it is the fund borrowed from, “you always want a healthy balance,” DeGon said.

Current expense fund revenues come to a total of $596,982.46, a $95,603.98 increase from the 2023 fund revenue of $501,378.48.

Oakesdale’s 2024 current expense fund revenues begin with a balance of $396,557.14 compared to the 2023 balance of $318,024.48.

According to the 2024 budget, Oakesdale saw a decrease in Real and Personal Property taxes for 2024, totaling $70,277.84 compared to last year’s total of $82,000.

DeGon said that part of Oakesdale’s property taxes get put into the street fund, with this year seeing a street levy passed for $60,000 to maintain streets, adding that the personal property taxes total is part of the county money and levy money.

Sales and use, local criminal justice, and garbage utility taxes increased, bringing the total taxes in the current expense fund to $136,277.84 from the 2023 budget total of $134,700.

Licenses and permits increased by $1,500, dropping to $6,500 for the 2024 budget.

DeGon said state-generated revenues are money from the government seeing an increase from 2023’s budget of $30,075 to a 2024 total of $35,775. AWC Safety grants had an increase of $5000 in state-generated revenues for Oakesdale, and criminal justice special programs saw an increase of $300, dropping $800 on the budget for the 2024 year. The Liquor Excise Tax increased from $2,800 in 2023 to $3,200 for 2024.

Miscellaneous revenues saw increases for interest earnings, dropping $14,000 for the 2024 year, compared to the 2023 total of $6,000. State local sales interest went from $25 in 2023 to $200 in the 2024 budget, an increase of $175.

Finance decreased from 2023 by $10,877.55, ending at a total of $71,430.45 in comparison to the 2023 total of $82,308. Increases to finance included clerk and treasurer communication at $4,000, an increase of $200 from the 2023 total of $3,800. Insurance increased for clerk and treasurer by $363, at $1,690 from last year’s $1,327.

“We have a time study once a year from the auditor,” DeGon said, noting that this study is so the county can see where the clerk’s time goes.

DeGon said after the time study, it was determined that last year DeGon spent more time in the current expense fund and less in the water and sewer operating fund.

Central Services, including items such as supplies, garbage, and maintenance, came to $33,193 for the 2024 budget, an $11,068 increase from the 2023 total of $22,125.

Oakesdale Law Enforcement saw an increase of $7,778.58 from last year’s total of $18,731.49, totaling $26,510.07 on the Oakesdale 2024 budget.

DeGon said Oakesdale Officer Keith Cooper received a 5% wage increase of $1,481.51, at $14,593 this year.

Expenditures ended with a balance of $423,420.90, an increase of $83,722.31 from last year’s ending cash balance of $339,698.59.