Tentative Jackson County budget down $2 million

The tentative county budget for FY2013 is down $2 million over the current budget and a slight millage rate increase is proposed for incorporated areas of the county.

County manager Kevin Poe presented the $63.6 million budget, which includes a $34.5 million general fund, to the board of commissioners Monday night.

The BOC will hold a work session to review the budget at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at the county manger’s conference room in the Administrative Building in Jefferson.

A final vote on the budget and millage rate will be held at a called meeting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4, at the courthouse. Changes can be made before a final vote is taken.

Monday was the first public presentation of the preliminary budget, which was released last Wednesday. The BOC had no discussion of the proposed budget and gave it tentative approval.

The proposed millage rate is 9.87 mills for incorporated areas of the county and 8.61 mills for unincorporated areas of the county. That is a .020 mill increase in the incorporated area. There is no proposed change for the unincorporated area.

Poe said the budget was being balanced using $1.6 million in reserve funds. The tentative budget also includes nine employee furlough days, less than the 12 budgeted for FY2012.

Among other items:
• County employees will have higher deductibles in their health care and will pay a higher insurance rate. The county’s share of employee health costs will remain the same.

• The county will save $570,000 in its debt payments next year due to refinancing part of its economic development bonds.

• Several new full-time positions are being added in FY2013.

• The county anticipates a drop in property tax income of $755,000 due to a drop in the county’s tax digest.