County sets the motions for the 2012 budget

• Pierce County

Pierce County

Talk about it

The Pierce County Board of Supervisors got their first look Tuesday at how the recently passed state budget would affect the county’s 2012 budget.

And the news, as expected, wasn’t pretty.

Finance Director Julie Brickner explained to the board what was known: the county would be saving nearly $566,000 by employees paying more of their benefits. At the same time, the county would be losing $306,000 in shared revenue, $101,000 in transportation costs and $160,000 in raises.

Therefore, as of right now, Brickner said the county would be starting approximately $60,000 in the hole.

Brickner then listed some of the unknowns: health insurance rates which will be set at the July 25 finance and personnel meeting; new construction rates which will be announced Aug. 15; cost of materials; the allowable levy under the 2012 state budget ; and how much the board can/will want to use from its unused levy funds from last year.

Board Chairman Paul Barkla then called on Supervisor Rod Rommel, who chairs the program committee, whose focus is to look at individual budgets and decide “what to keep and not to keep.”

For more please read the July 6 print version of the Herald.

Tags: local government, news, government