Using a scalpel rather than the budget ax, Salt Lake County commissioners have carved about $4 million out of an anticipated $8.7 million tax hike.
Revised after weeks of budget review meetings and marathon sessions Thursday and Friday, the amended budget will be considered by commissioners at 10 a.m. Monday.For taxpayers, the final product offers a smaller-than-expected tax increase, or what county officials are characterizing as "not-so-bad news." As adopted in January, the budget would have boosted the average-home owner's 1992 tax bill between $13 and $27, depending on location.
"We're looking at halving that figure," Commissioner Randy Horiuchi said at the conclusion of the budget talks Friday. "We promised that we would reduce the increase as much as possible through cuts and careful management, and we've kept that promise."
Howard Stephenson, executive director of the Utah Taxpayers Association, said, "A half tax increase is better than a full tax increase. I think the commissioners should be commended for their efforts."
However, he tempered his praise with continuing criticism of the county pay raises and bonuses in the budget, saying they can't be justified in a year when most workers are facing layoffs or salary freezes.
"We know of no government that pays its employees better than Salt Lake County," Stephenson said.
Stressing that he hadn't seen a detailed explanation of how the county managed the tax-hike reduction, Stephenson said he would reserve judgment on other issues until Monday.
According to Horiuchi, no single department, division or existing government service has been substantially cut or eliminated by the budget revision, but almost all were trimmed to some extent. Some new items in the original budget, such as a work-release program for the new Oxbow Jail, were not funded at all.
"Mostly, we just cut some positions and reduced expenditures all over the budget," Horiuchi said. "In public works alone, we dropped about $800,000."
County residents will notice the belt-tightening in some services, Horiuchi predicted, saying, "There are consequences resulting from these reductions."
One consequence already being felt by county residents is a reduction in weed-abatement efforts. The City-County Health Department has all but dropped the program, citing budget cuts and higher priorities.
Noting that irate residents are calling the commission office about weeds, Commission Chairman Jim Bradley suspects the Health Department's actions are an attempt to "manipulate the budget."
"Clearly, it's something citizens want done," Bradley said. "What surprises me is that they (the Health Department) recoup their costs for weed control by assessing the responsible property owner."
During a discussion of the issue Thursday, Bradley suggested that weed abatement - along with its funding - be moved from the Health Department to public works. The proposal will be addressed at a staff meeting Monday.
In other areas, however, the budget revision may prove a boon. For example, although the higher library levy is unchanged from that proposed in January, officials believe they have found a way to finance a new library in the Hunter area of West Valley City.
"We intend to get a Hunter library going," Horiuchi said. "I think you will see it happen very, very soon."
Other items in the amended budget include:
- Funded land acquisition for the proposed Old Mill golf course with $1.6 million from the revolving loan fund.
- Approved the development of a paramedic station in West Jordan.
- Funded wildfire mitigation efforts.