Hillsboro city auditor warns of difficult budget ahead
Lead Summary
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By RORY RYAN
The Highland County Press
The city of Hillsboro may experience a negative shift in its general fund of as much as $750,000 in the coming year, according to Hillsboro City Auditor Gary Lewis.
When contacted by The Highland County Press this week and asked about the city's projected finances over the next 12 months, Lewis said: "In as much as the city will have an additional $210,000 in new debt service, plus an additional increase in health care benefits of $76,000, and with a projected decrease in revenue of approximately $450,000, we will be experiencing a negative swing from our favorable general fund position in 2009 of as much as $750,000.
"Virtually all general fund departments will be seeing reductions in their budgets," Lewis said. "Compounding this is the fact that they will all experience the increased cost in health care. Very little in the way of new equipment will be purchased for any department."
Last week, Highland County Commissioner Shane Wilkin said he anticipates that the next six months "will be very tough" for the county budget. "We're still looking at cutting costs wherever we can. We've cut some already, but we have to cut more."
Some departments, including Highland County Juvenile Court, are resisting additional budget reductions. Judge Kevin Greer recently informed commissioners, "I have reviewed my 2010 budget and have found no line item that can be reduced any further without jeopardizing public safety or the effective and efficient operation of the court."
The county informed its department managers in a Nov. 4 letter that Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley had estimated general fund revenues of $7,946,685 for the 2010 budget year. "This is $2,680,477 less than the original 2009 appropriation of $10,627,162," Wilkin said. Commissioners then asked all department heads to revise their respective 2010 appropriations to better reflect the anticipated revenues.
At tonight's meeting of Hillsboro City Council, Lewis expects to deliver similar news to city department leaders.
"Each department head will have to be diligent in watching and keeping within the budget that is given to them," Lewis said. "Our supervisors do a pretty good job of that; but this coming year, they will have to be creative in making a dollar stretch. My department will be watching spending much more closely and we will be tracking revenues much more closely as well. If it comes to the point where it looks like what we are doing is not working, I will advise the administration so they can take action accordingly.
"Until employment picks up in our region, this is going to be the trend for some time to come," Lewis said.
Hillsboro City Council meets at 7 p.m. Dec. 14, at 130 Homestead Avenue in the Municipal Court Room.[[In-content Ad]]
The Highland County Press
The city of Hillsboro may experience a negative shift in its general fund of as much as $750,000 in the coming year, according to Hillsboro City Auditor Gary Lewis.
When contacted by The Highland County Press this week and asked about the city's projected finances over the next 12 months, Lewis said: "In as much as the city will have an additional $210,000 in new debt service, plus an additional increase in health care benefits of $76,000, and with a projected decrease in revenue of approximately $450,000, we will be experiencing a negative swing from our favorable general fund position in 2009 of as much as $750,000.
"Virtually all general fund departments will be seeing reductions in their budgets," Lewis said. "Compounding this is the fact that they will all experience the increased cost in health care. Very little in the way of new equipment will be purchased for any department."
Last week, Highland County Commissioner Shane Wilkin said he anticipates that the next six months "will be very tough" for the county budget. "We're still looking at cutting costs wherever we can. We've cut some already, but we have to cut more."
Some departments, including Highland County Juvenile Court, are resisting additional budget reductions. Judge Kevin Greer recently informed commissioners, "I have reviewed my 2010 budget and have found no line item that can be reduced any further without jeopardizing public safety or the effective and efficient operation of the court."
The county informed its department managers in a Nov. 4 letter that Highland County Auditor Bill Fawley had estimated general fund revenues of $7,946,685 for the 2010 budget year. "This is $2,680,477 less than the original 2009 appropriation of $10,627,162," Wilkin said. Commissioners then asked all department heads to revise their respective 2010 appropriations to better reflect the anticipated revenues.
At tonight's meeting of Hillsboro City Council, Lewis expects to deliver similar news to city department leaders.
"Each department head will have to be diligent in watching and keeping within the budget that is given to them," Lewis said. "Our supervisors do a pretty good job of that; but this coming year, they will have to be creative in making a dollar stretch. My department will be watching spending much more closely and we will be tracking revenues much more closely as well. If it comes to the point where it looks like what we are doing is not working, I will advise the administration so they can take action accordingly.
"Until employment picks up in our region, this is going to be the trend for some time to come," Lewis said.
Hillsboro City Council meets at 7 p.m. Dec. 14, at 130 Homestead Avenue in the Municipal Court Room.[[In-content Ad]]