Tuesday, May 04, 1999
Campbell facing budget cuts
New sources of revenue sought
BY TERRY FLYNN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
NEWPORT — Campbell County commissioners heard the bad news officially Mondayduring initial budget discussions: a balanced budget may mean emptying the county's surplus fund of $1.5 million.
To avoid that possibility, the fiscal court will look both at additional ways to generate revenue and more budget cuts, which could relate to reductions in some areas of service, such as road repair.
“We (the county) have habitually been drawing from reserves to balance the budget in recent years,” Judge-executive Steve Pendery said Monday as county officials started to look for ways to avoid using surplus funds. “In another year, there will be no reserves. Frankly, our financial predicament is understated.”
The 1999-2000 fiscal budget, as proposed in a draft document Monday, is $9,920,232, an increase of just .63 percent over last year's $9,858,536.
But Mr. Pendery emphasized that this is not a balanced budget, in the business sense, because there is more money going out for salaries, services, and so forth, than is coming back through taxes and other revenues.
“Six years ago, the county's surplus was $4 million,” he said. “This is a big problem. I believe, however, that the picture will change in the next few months as we look at other sources of revenue. But in the short term that won't help.”
Commissioner Bill Verst said he doubted that the county would find many additional sources of revenue this year.
“No matter what else comes along, we're looking at cuts,” he said. “There are going to be some tough deci sions to make, and some people aren't going to like them. But that's why we are here, to make the tough decisions.”
Commissioner Dave Otto agreed, and found one budget proposal he thought the county could live without: 20 new voting machines.
“We're talking about $100,000 for voting machines, and I'm not convinced we need 20 new voting machines,” he said. “I know we had some long lines and some problems in the last election, but I would rather see that money back in the budget for something else.”
Other areas that Mr. Pendery offered as possible sources of revenue and ways to reduce spending:
• Levying a charge on all 911 emergency calls to the dispatch center.
• Discussing a possible consolidation of dispatching services with Fort Thomas and Newport. In the past, this has produced negative responses from the two cities.
• Increasing the planning and zoning fees. Mr. Pendery said it has been 10 years since the fees were raised.
• Cut the $30,000 the county pays to the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force, a unit composed of officers from a number of police departments throughout Northern Kentucky.
The proposed budget calls for across-the-board salary increases of 4 percent, reportedly well below what the Fraternal Order of Police and other unions that represent county workers are asking in new contract proposals.
Campbell County Jailer Greg Buckler is asking for nearly $1.9 million, including funding for two full-time and three part-time positions, but the proposed budget calls for $1.3 million for the jail.
“I want to impress on the (fiscal) court how important these positions are,” Mr. Buckler said Monday. “We do not have a chief deputy (jailer), and we need someone in that position badly. Right now, I'm doing both jobs.
“We want to hire a full-time registered nurse. And we want three part-time civilian positions to operate the rear hub area, basically opening and closing doors, to increase security and safety.”
There were 35 items in the draft budget that were left out of consideration, and although Mr. Pendery said it was possible that some could be funded in the coming months, most would not.
“We've said no to everyone,” he said. “There's just no money for anyone's wish list. We will have to look at every area (of the budget) and come up with ways to avoid using surplus funds.”
The fiscal court will meet again in special session Friday to continue the budget discussions and suggest where cuts may be made in county departments.
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