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Spotsy cutting budget again
Spotsy approves more cuts
BY DAN TELVOCK
Date published: 9/24/2008
BY DAN TELVOCK
The Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors approved more budget cuts last night to make up for projected revenue losses.
Budget staff told supervisors that fiscal year 2009 revenue projections were already down by $9.1 million, and they projected another $2.1 million drop.
The biggest drops are in recordation taxes, which are collected when a home sells or is refinanced, sales tax, and personal property tax.
They did not recommend that supervisors make adjustments to the projected revenue budget until they get more data in the next 30 days. However, they warned that revenues are not likely to improve, and will probably drop even more.
Supervisors decided to:
Order department heads to cut FY 2009 budgets by 2 percent, in addition to the 1 percent they have already cut. They also asked department heads to prepare an additional 7 percent in cuts.
Ask the school system to cut 2 percent from its fiscal year 2009 budget, a $2.4 million cut on top of the $1.2 million the school system did not spend in the last fiscal budget that supervisors kept. Historically, that money, called carryover funds, is returned to the schools.
Institute an immediate hiring freeze for all departments, including public safety positions. County Administrator Randy Wheeler can make exceptions on an individual basis. This is the first time supervisors approved a hiring freeze for public safety positions.
At their Sept. 9 meeting, supervisors laid off nine employees and ordered all departments to cut budgets by 1 percent.
Supervisor Gary Skinner, the only one to vote against the recommendations, said the public surveys that the county government pays for each year regularly show education and public safety are residents' top priorities. Skinner said his Lee Hill District constituents tell him they don't mind paying additional taxes if the money goes to services such as education and public safety.
Sheriff Howard Smith said the school system now must pay deputy salaries at school events, including sporting events, so he could make up a 1 percent reduction in his budget. Skinner said parents already complained that kids might get hurt at these events.
"I have some very big concerns about your recommendations," Skinner said. "I am sure the schools are willing to share in the reduction, but as a taxpayer, you are going to tell me you are going to raise my taxes and zero is going to educate the children? I have heartburn over that."
Supervisor Emmitt Marshall said all departments need to share in the budget cuts.
"We are close to being in a depression in this country; not a recession, a depression," he said. "The taxpayers of Spotsylvania County, I don't think they can pay any more taxes than what they are paying now. I think we are obligated to try and hold the line on raising taxes in the county."
Dan Telvock: 540/374-5438
Email: dtelvock@freelancestar.com
Supervisor Emmitt Marshall last night asked county staff to conduct a full review of animal control and shelter policies to prevent a dog wearing identification tags from being euthanized without its owners first being notified.
Animal Control supervisors are investigating how a dog named Buddy was euthanized without its owners being contacted. A resident found the dog injured in a ditch and called Animal Control on Sept. 8. The dog was euthanized because of a back injury, according to an animal-control incident report.
The dog's owners, Gary and Carla Blevins, said they were never notified, even though the dog had identification attached to its collar.
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Date published: 9/24/2008
Most recent reader comments:
SOMEBODY
(posted by
1958
, Sep. 25, 2008 7:54 am)
SOMBODY HAS TO FIND WAYS TO SPEND YOUR TAX DOLLOR SO THEY CAN RASE THEM MORE
Please tell me why Spotsy has three county administrators when most counties only have one?
who is really in charge in spotsy
(posted by
1958
, Sep. 24, 2008 9:23 pm)
the Building Department in Spotsylvania County are busy comming by you homes while your at work making sure you did not add a deck or somthing
Fights at School Events
(posted by
Wilderness
, Sep. 24, 2008 7:56 pm)
This issue could be avoided if parents took responsibility for their children. How many kids get dropped off at a game by a parent and are left to be picked up later. Why should the schools or the Sheriff's Dept. babysit your kids. If the parents can't go to the game with them, keep them at home. The stadium at RHS has over half empty last Friday. Parents get out and see how your children act in public. You probably would be embarrassed. If you can't spend time with them, why did you have them?
Wake up Spotsylvania
(posted by
Wilderness
, Sep. 24, 2008 7:49 pm)
Nobody wants higher taxes, but they are inevitable.Administrators have known that state contributions would be reduced because the overall wealth of the county increased, but they didn’t plan accordingly.Now knee-jerk politics are like a bandaid on an arterial bleed.Two areas cannot be cut, public safety and education.As one of the wealthiest counties and we cannot jeopardize our children’s education and we cannot jeopardize public safety.Poor planning and poor administration are the cause of the problems.
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