BENTONVILLE — Benton County officials will continue looking for ways to reduce costs as the county’s 2013 budget process continues today.
Tom Allen, justice of the peace, heads the Quorum Court’s Finance Committee, which doubles as the Budget Committee. Allen said he thinks the process of reviewing budgets requests is done, and the panel will now begin making decisions on what will be cut.
At A Glance
What’s Next
Benton County officials are working on the county’s 2013 budget. Initial projections show the county receiving about $40,541,935 in revenue for 2013. The initial 2013 budget requests included $42,189,365 in expenditures. Benton County’s Budget Committee is set to meet at 6 p.m. today in the Quorum Court meeting room in the County Administration Building, 215 E. Central Ave.
Source: Staff Report
Sarah Daniels, county comptroller, presented the justices of the peace with a list of possible cuts at the last budget meeting that balances projected revenue and requested expenditures for 2013, but does not include any money for raises for county employees or elected officials.
“I’ve asked Sarah to see if there are other areas where department heads and elected officials can cut,” Allen said.
Allen said he prefers to have elected officials identify potential cuts rather than have the justices of the peace try to make small adjustments to individual budgets and line items within budgets.
“I want to try to avoid micromanaging departments,” Allen said. “I really want to avoid this discussion of ‘Can two judges share a copier?’”
Allen said the county’s projected revenue could accommodate raises if department heads and elected officials can find ways to cut their budgets in other areas. He pointed to capital equipment requests as the most likely place to find potential cuts. Capital requests include vehicles, office equipment and other items with large one-time costs.
Daniels said county employees, like other workers, are looking at a potential cut in their take-home pay next year. Daniels said a reduction in the Federal Insurance Contribution Act withholding is set to expire in January, meaning the F.I.C.A. withholding for each employee would increase by 2 percent.
“Which would mean our employees will see a 2 percent decrease if there are no raises,” Daniels said.
Dan Douglas, justice of the peace, said he wants to see the county do more than simply balance projected revenue and spending requests.
“I really feel like we need to not just quit when it gets balanced,” Douglas said. “We need to be sure everything is being used efficiently. We need to look at everything.”
Douglas also noted the possible F.I.C.A. increase as part of the county’s budget process.
“It would be nice if we could at least keep them even,” he said.
Kurt Moore, justice of the peace, said he’s not optimistic about the prospect of employee raises, but said he is open to a one-time payment if raises aren’t feasible. He said estimates are a 1 percent raise costs the county about $300,000.
“If we do raises, at least in my opinion, it’s going to be very minimal,” Moore said. “I’m not against the idea of doing a one-time bonus if we can’t do at least a 1 percent pay raise. I’d like to do something, I’m just not sure what at this point.”
Moore said he’s made one proposal that might free up some money for raises or bonuses. The county has been buying two fire trucks for the rural fire service each year as part of the operating budget.
“Switching the fire trucks over to capital needs to be investigated,” Moore said. “That would definitely help.”
Allen said raises for elected officials are a lower priority than employee raises. He said the justices of the peace did adopt a resolution in February indicating the Quorum Court’s intention to consider giving elected officials 6 percent raises at the beginning of 2013, but that resolution isn’t binding and no raises for elected officials have been approved.
“I definitely see that as not as high a priority as the rank-and-file employees,” Allen said.