Lyon County commissioners continued to trim and polish the 2010 Lyon County budget during their Thursday action session.
Lyon County Controller Dan Slater said this morning that some of Thursday’s discussion centered around the budget. Commissioners are down to an increase of about 3 mills, Slater said. The first pass of the budget reflected an approximate 15-mill increase for 2010. Commissioners said that wasn’t acceptable and have worked to whittle that down.
Slater said July 2009 numbers are looking good, and revenue such as property taxes and delinquent taxes are positive.
There’s still some work to do on the budget, however.
“I’ve got a $500,000 increase in the general fund,” Slater said this morning.
Slater said much of the increase is in law enforcement which includes district court, Lyon County attorney, the Lyon County Jail and the sheriff’s office.
“It’s really hard to cut law enforcement because it’s necessary,” Slater said.
Slater said this year’s budget has been a tough one, and the commission doesn’t want to cut services. One of the tactics the commission is using this year is looking at 2009 expenditures. Any money not spent in 2009 can be used in 2010.
“It’s a struggle,” he said. “It’s not a fun year. Slowly but surely we’re making progress.”
madpoet (anonymous) says...
Gee, thanks for convincing us to pass the sales tax so our property taxes wouldn't go up then raising them anyway. I should have listened to my skeptical coworkers on that one. I know it's not all the county's fault with the delay and all but a little foresight could have prevented a lot of this.
August 7, 2009 at 3:19 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dale011 (anonymous) says...
One way to cut expenses would be to drop the "assistant county counsel" position. What a waste of county dollars.
August 7, 2009 at 3:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Madpoet- People fall for the no new taxes and reduced property taxes claims everytime. There's not a better example out there that better describes the best time to use the adage of "If it sounds to good to be true, then it probably isn't" when it comes to taxes in Lyon County Kansas. Sounds to me like your co-workers are pretty savy.
August 7, 2009 at 7:46 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
we do not need or want any more department fact finding committees. what the taxpayers want and need is some fact facing committiees. art buchwald said, tax reform is taking taxes off things that have been taxed in the past and putting taxes on things that have not been taxed before. under the state of kansas open records act, i am requesting the amount of money seized for the last five years in drug busts and all seizures. i think these commissioners see the light at the end of the tunnel, i really do. commissioners please do not disappoint me. last time i said that, you went out and bought more tunnel.
August 8, 2009 at 12:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )