Lincoln County’s 2009-10 Budget

Lincoln County’s2009-10 Budget A Financial Perfect Storm!

“All of us might wish at times that we lived in a more tranquil world, but we don't. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenging and filled with opportunity.” - Robert F. Kennedy

Purpose of this Presentation • To review our financial situation and how we got here • To explain the proposed program and staff cuts • To look at next steps

Main Sources of Revenue • Property taxes • State funding • Beginning balance • Transient room tax • State forest revenues • Fees and permits • Interest income

State & Federal Sources 22% All Taxes (including State Forest) 56% Beginning Balance 12% Fees & Services 4% Miscellaneous 3% Licenses & Permits 3% COUNTY GENERAL FUNDWhere do revenues come from? Property Taxes 44%

What’s happened to property taxes? • Property taxes have grown as much as 6 percent in recent years • The projected increase next year is just over 2 percent • The collection rate is down 3% • New construction has almost stopped… • Foreclosures are on the rise

…and home sales have plummeted

Other Revenues are Falling • State forest revenues: 75% decline • Interest income: 85% decline • Transient room tax: 10% decline • Permits and fees: have significantly declined, (example 2006-07 Planning $1.2 million, this year projected $690,000) • Beginning balance: 33% decline

Total Revenues Down General Fund Revenues $37 Millions $35.5 $31

Expenditures 2009-2010 Where does the money go? Public Services 10% Contingency & Reserve for Future Years 9% Public Safety 50% General Government 30%

First steps to deal with the impending Storm In December, Commissioners: -Instituted ”selective hiring” process, did not fill some positions -Reviewed all capital/material expenditures of $5,000 or more, even if budgeted -Stopped new capital/facility renovation projects

Crisis in HHS forced early cuts Department faced $1.5 million deficit - 20.55 positions eliminated in February - Community Health Center Hours cut by half - Mental Health reduced to four days - Early closure of school-based health centers

The budget process begins • Department Directors and Elected Officials were asked to submit two budgets: current service levels and 10 percent cuts • Even the 10 percent cut budgets left us $5 million short

Elected officials/managers stepped up first…. • Agreed to freeze their salaries (no cost-of-living or step increases) • Agreed to 14 unpaid furlough days through the end of the 2009-2010 budget year • Furlough days equal a 5 percent pay cut

…and union members followed • Both LCDA (93 percent) and LCEA (90 percent) voted to accept salary freezes and nine furlough days next year • Non-represented employees will also have salaries frozen and take nine furlough days

Shared sacrifice makes a difference! Salary freezes and furloughs prevented elimination of 50 additional positions….

...but 38 FTE positions still were eliminated Almost every office or department lost staff: -Sheriff’s Office (11 positions) -Juvenile Department (4 positions) -Assessor (4 positions) -District Attorney (2.5 positions) -Planning (2.4 positions) -Maintenance (2 positions) -10 others lost positions

Impact on services • Reduction of Senior Outreach Program • Reduction of Veterans’ Services • Elimination of Teen Court program • Reduction of youth Community Service program • Closure of animal shelter to the public

Guiding principle: The County mission statement • The • Mission of Lincoln County • is to provide essential public services, both legally required and locally desired, in an efficient, effective and respectful manner.

County workforce shrinks • July 1, 2008 workforce: 406.7 FTE • Estimated July 1, 2009 workforce: 347 FTE • Total reduction to date: 59.65 FTE (nearly 15% of the workforce)

Other money-saving steps: • Use of reserves (reduction from 18% in current FY to 9%) • Continued moratorium on capital expenditures and projects • Delay of vehicle replacements • 10% cut in support to historical groups • 37% reduction in support to non-profit agencies

One bright spot: the Road Fund • Reauthorization of timber replacement dollars by Congress will help make a busy year for road projects, including: • $1.5 million on Logsden Bridge • $1.6 million for two South Bay Road Bridges • More rocking, bridge maintenance, culvert projects • Paving from $400,000 this year to $2 million next year

Can’t Stimulus Dollars Help? • $680,000 for additional road paving • $771,000 for expansion of the road/transit maintenance shop • $572,000 for purchases of buses, bus radios and bus security cameras • $168,000 for FQHC • Numerous competitive grants in process

But there’s still a big question: The State Budget! • Next revenue forecast is due May 15th • Expected shortfall:$4-$6 billion

What does additional State cuts mean to County Services? Many programs rely on state funds: --Health and Human Services --Community Corrections --Sheriff’s Office/Jail --Assessment and Taxation --Veterans’ Services --Commission on Children and Families

There will be calmer seas ahead… • The Management Team will give priority to restructuring of the organization • Goals: sustainable cost savings, greater efficiency, preservation of services to the public • Investigate alternative funding sources

Some Potential First Steps • Contracting for more services • Partnerships with other local governments • Reorganization/consolidation of departments

Lincoln County’s 2009-10 Budget