Council approves budget increase

The Monroe County Council passed a $53 million budget for 2006 Wednesday, an 8.5 percent increase from 2005. The budget does not call for an increase of property taxes.\nThe budget still must be approved by the state before it becomes final. \nMost of the county budget comes directly from the state, and the council acts as little more than a rubber stamp, said councilman Trent Jones. The only part the council has full control over is the county general fund, which was $24 million this year. That is up from $20.6 million last year, an increase of 17 percent. \nThe general fund includes the sheriff's department, the correctional center and the courts system.\nMuch of the large increase is due to a shuffling of money from one fund to another, said Brandon Knight, Monroe County financial director. \nThe county is not renewing a $1.8 million bond. This year the money will go into the county general fund. Last year it was a separate fund.\nThe $1.8 million will cover the $1.5 million for the new court being created in 2006. Another $1 million will come out of cash reserves that have been built up from past budget surpluses to pay for capital projects or "one time purchases," said councilman Michael Woods.\nNot counting the bond and cash reserves, the budget will only grow 3.1 percent from this year, which is just below the 3.2 percent listed as the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.\nDemocrats Mark Stoops, Michael Woods, Sophia Travis and Warren Henegar all voted for the budget along with Republican Sue West. Republicans Marty Hawk and Trent Jones voted no.\nJones cited his distaste for using cash reserves as a reason for voting against the budget.\n"I wanted to be reassured there were adequate revenues and ongoing revenue streams," he said. "It's never a good idea to spend all the reserves."\nHawk was fine with going to the cash reserves for "one time expenses," she said. "It was my idea to do it." \nBut she was worried about using cash reserves to pay for "ongoing costs" like payroll. The county would have to dip into the cash reserves for payroll until new tax funds start to come in, she said.\n"If the savings run out, then what are you going to do? Lay off people," Hawk said. \nRising gas prices went unchecked in the passed budget -- a problem both Jones and Hawk noted. The gas budget, if not adjusted, would not cover potentially sustained increases in the price of gas.\nHowever, Woods noted the budget was voted on before the flood in New Orleans, which made gas prices in Bloomington jump.\n"Gas prices are so volatile," he said. "There is no reason to budget a whole lot more."\nIf gas prices do go up, the county departments could request more appropriations later in the year, he said.\nForcing departments to come to the council for more money would allow it to have "a little tighter fiscal control," he said.\nHawk and Jones said they would also have preferred to add a new clerical position at the sheriff's office. The sheriff's office has paid $8,500 so far this year on clerical overtime, Woods said. \nThe sheriff requested another position, but it was cut during the budget hearings. Adding the position could have saved the county money by not paying time and a half for overtime, Woods said.\nIn the end though, Hawk said she wasn't able to get everything she wanted.\n"There is no point in me fussing with these folks," she said. "(Democrats) have a majority"