Budget requests top $16.5 million
By COBY LaRUE
Staff
The Alleghany County Commissioners received preliminary budget requests for fiscal year 2008-2009 Monday night totaling more than $16.5 million.
The requests total $16,596,133 and cover all county departments and special appropriations. They typically are higher than the amount approved by the county commission in the final budget. The current year's budget's running total is $14,816,558 and the commissioners have stated a goal of trying to stay close enough to the current budget to prevent raising taxes any more than necessary. Several have said they would only approve a small tax increase, if any.
The county is facing a difficult budget year due to flat growth in revenues, compounded by rising insurance costs and other expenses.
By far the largest request was made by Alleghany County Schools, which is requesting a total of $4,046,411 for current and capital expenses, up from an approved total of $2,896,422 in the current year's budget.
The departments generally learn what the recommended budget will be and then are given the opportunity to argue their case before the commissioners before the final budget is approved.
Budget Requests
The requests, which are a summation of the amounts asked for by each department, do not include the recommendations of the county manager or the work done by the county commission to adjust totals as necessary based on final revenue projections and their decisions on the needs that will be funded. The final budget must be approved by June 30 and be put in effect prior to July 1.
The following were the requested amounts followed by the currently budgeted amount:
Governing Bodies, requested $74,025 (last year's approved amount was $71,297);
Administration, $132,188 ($123,498);
Finance, $167,806 ($151,480);
Board of Elections, $119,084 ($106,417);
Planning, $60,650 ($50,190);
Recreation, $185,405 ($285,202);
Tax Administration, $325,500 ($299,723);
Tag Office, $69,884 (Didn't exist in current budget);
Mapping, $54,766 ($43,626);
Register of Deeds, $187,417 ($187,798);
Public Buildings, $291,727 ($282,505);
Sheriff's Department, $658,156 ($646,073);
Dispatch, $226,768 ($213,765);
Roaring Gap Deputies, $74,896 ($78,578);
Animal Control, $59,656 ($48,626);
Maintenance, Court-Related, $4,500 ($4,500);
Jail, $899,122 ($807,233);
Emergency Management, $54,434 ($57,063);
Building Inspector, $187,823 ($151,543);
Health Department, $12,500 ($12,500);
Ambulance Service, $704,440 ($740,667);
Cooperative Extension, $123,881 ($120,331);
Soil and Water, $109,939 ($108,627);
Veterans Office, $25,461 ($24,574);
Transportation-Adm., $104,665 ($90,916);
Social Services, $1,361,876 ($1,066,791);
Public Assistance, $1,170,552 ($1,218,798);
Adoption Assistance, $20,524 ($20,644);
In Home Aide, $8,000 ($18,000);
Child Development, $528,905 ($729,995);
Work First, $14,138 ($20,938);
County Insurance, $1,130,148 ($950,443);
Debt Service, $1,521,474 ($1,539,842);
School Current/Capital Expense, $4,046,411 ($2,896,422);
Special Appropriations, $1,854,413 ($1,646,830);
Contingency, $25,000 ($213 remaining).
Special Appropriations
Highlights of the special appropriation requests include:
Regional Library, $163,755 ($156,767);
Appalachian Dist. Health Dept., $175,263 ($166,917);
Mental Health District, $120,149 ($115,128);
Council on Aging, $140,792 ($135,377);
Sparta-Alleghany VFD, $68,000 ($62,455);
Piney Creek VFD, $42,024 ($38,204);
Glade Creek VFD, $90,163 ($39,670);
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