In years past property values didn't mean much because budgets were what drove the levy rates and taxing districts could simply raise levy rates as their part of the equation to get the dollars they budgeted. This year just about all taxing districts are having to face the consequences of a BUDGET CAP.
Short version of all this is property values are going to be down by 8-10% as overheard in the meeting Commishes and Caldwell officials had regarding Sheriff Dispatch fees. In the audio tape that can be heard on the IPT website the percentages for property value decreases were not in dispute. This means about a $2 MM drop in property tax collections by the county. Cities will be facing the same 8-10% drop in property tax receipts. Property tax makes up about 1/3rd (give or take) of revenue to cities and counties.
They can't raise taxes due to THE CAP. This will be the year local governments are going to have to do what most citizens face on a daily basis; they will have to start living with less cash to fund local government operations. They are all going to be running on empty with respect to property taxation this year. Cuts, furloughs and all other options will be on the table to balance the budget.
Canyon County Sheriff budget is the biggest slice of the pie at over 50% of the total county budget. Just north of $34 MM based on the current budget. Here's a link to the County Clerk/Auditor's web page where you can check out all the departmental budgets and where your money goes:
http://www.canyonco.org/Clerk/
Paul
It disturbs me to hear teachers and public employees complain about not getting raises in this economy and wanting voters to pay for them with override levies.
ReplyDeleteI make less today than I did 10 years ago. It is now time for people on government payrolls to accept the fact there is a global resetting of wages and benefits. More and more is not part of this phenomenon.
I am voting NO on overrides to give public employees pay raises.
Funny but I haven't heard the employees "whining" at all down at the courthouse. In Fact they have been sucking it up and tightening their belts just like everyone else. Many government employees have taken pay cuts too and forced furlough days just like you. Many positions have also gone unfilled as work loads have increased and yet still many are thankful they still have a job.
ReplyDeleteThis article is also flawed in the following areas.
The Sheriff's budget does not make up just over 50% of the budget as this article contends. Actually it is more like 29%.
The Sheriff's budget is also not 34 million. It is $19 million.
Public safety as a whole is 34 million.
See breakdown below....
Sheriff 19,382,920
Prosecutor 5,157,534
Juvenile Prob. 2,357,957
Juvenile Detention 2,198,264
Public Defender 2,053,007
E-911 1,555,466
Justice Contingent 650,000
Misdemeanor Probation 525,002
CCNU 102,400
Emergency Manag. 97,258
Total 34,079,808
Cuts, furloughs and all other options will be on the table to balance the budget just as they have been every year since 2007 when this crisis started. And yet the tone of the above comment sounds like you are trying to say.....
"the government worker needs to be punished and made to suffer because I lost my job! It's not fair that they still have their jobs when I don't! Never mind I used to make a lot more money than them and would never have considered a life of public service, but now since the economy tanked their jobs are looking pretty darn good given the current state of affairs. Lets put them in the poor house so they can lose their homes because I feel cheated. They should never be paid better than me! They should always be a step behind the rest of society!"
So this is how a life of government service pays out huh? Take your anger out on the politicians not the worker bees Anonymous. They have done nothing to inspire your wrath. I'm sorry the school district won't stop asking us all for money. But that is not the norm for all government.
The commentor above is correct. Public Safety is 51+% of the county budget. You have to add in all the ancillary budget items and the Sheirff is still north of $20MM and the largest part of the county budget.
DeleteIn a comparison of like services between Ada County and Canyon County I do not see much difference in how each county spends it's money. These expenses do not seem out of line with other communities. No matter what county you go to the Sheriff's office budget will always be the highest as they will always have the most workers because they have to run the jails. What I did find interesting though is that Ada county spends almost twice as much on communications as Canyon County does. I think that might explain where our commissioners cut the money from and as to why they came up with this hair brained idea of charging cities for dispatching services to make up the difference. How much Canyon county spends on Juvenile justice seems to be significantly higher than Ada County too. I don't know whether to consider that a good or bad thing.
DeleteAda County 193,034,701 100%
Sheriff 52,621,438 27.3 %
Prosecutor 11,932,277 6.1 %
Juvenile Det/Prob 8,121,442 4.2 %
Public Defender 6,949,836 3.6 %
E-911 8,639,371 4.4 %
Emergency Manag. 535,938 .2 %
Total 88,800,302 46 %
Canyon County 66,465,300 100%
Sheriff 19,382,920 29.2 %
Prosecutor 5,157,534 7.7 %
Juvenile Det/Prob 4,556,221 6.9 %
Public Defender 2,053,007 3.1 %
E-911 1,555,466 2.3 %
Emergency Manag. 97,258 .1 %
Total 32,802,406 49%