Lyon County commissioners are set to approve the 2008 budget next week with a mill levy increase of 1.548 mills, down from 2.89 mills, County Controller Dan Slater said.
The publication of the budget sets the maximum mill levy increase. That number could be lowered, Slater said, but it cannot be increased.
Some budget amounts still need to be cleaned up, Slater said, but it won’t have an impact on the overall budget.
“It’s bookkeeping and housekeeping,” Slater said. “What you (commissioners) will approve next Thursday will be a clean budget.”
Slater expressed concerns of future funds in the capitol outlay budget. At the end of 2008, the budget is expected to have $3,249,000.
“That’s what will be left when all expected expenditures are made,” Slater said. “In 2008 I think we’re in good shape.”
In 2009, Slater suggested looking at a small mill levy to fund capital outlay. By 2010, a mill levy will be essential, Slater said.
“We don’t ever want to see capital outlay get over $6 million but we don’t ever want it to go below $3 million,” Slater said. “We want to keep it healthy but we don’t want to keep it too healthy.”
Commission Chairman Marshall Miller said he really wants to further drop the mill levy increase by 0.5 percent but he wasn’t sure where to get the money to do that.
A long discussion ensued on which programs could still be trimmed. County Counselor Michael Halleran said there are programs such as SOS, Emporia Main Street and Corner House that aren’t mandatory for the county to fund.
“You’re not mandated to fund them,” County Counselor Michael Halleran said. “There’s no mill levy required for these types of programs.”
Slater said that historically money has been provided for such programs.
“I don’t think anybody would say these are not good, good programs,” Slater said. “But again, should taxpayers be expected to fund these programs?”
Commissioners discussed trimming several budgets back to original appropriations rather than grant funding increases.
Miller said if there is going to be much trimming done he would like to have it done before the budget hearing at 10 a.m. Aug. 30.