Saturday morning, June 11, several community members filed into the Stevens County Library’s meeting room to talk with Commissioner Joe D. Thompson about the budget issues plaguing the county. Representatives from various county entities were present, including the Senior Center and Extension. Joe D. offered the Commissioner Coffee meeting as an opportunity for residents to express their concerns and so he could talk face-to-face with community members.
The first issue to arise was that of the Senior Center and Library budgets. Joe D. stated the commissioners’ hands are essentially tied, due to the state’s cap on funding for these two entities. He said the commissioners were working with the county attorney, Senior Center and Library board to draft a resolution for the August ballot. The resolution will propose a mil increase to benefit their budgets. Unfortunately, even if the increase is approved, the budgets for both organizations will decrease significantly, thanks to the county’s 36% valuation decrease over the past year. If an increase isn’t approved, Stevens County is in immediate danger of losing both the Senior Center and the Library.
Regarding the Senior Center, Karen Rich stated Moscow and Hugoton’s centers have shared one mil, or $156,000 for the past year. This year, they’ll be expected to share $100,000. To decrease the Center’s budget, Karen suggested the county pay for maintenance because the building belongs to Stevens County. Joe D. stated that was a possibility, but the building fund for the county is also only one mil and will also decrease to $100,000 to maintain the Center, the courthouse, the fairground buildings, etc.
Joe D. spoke about the county’s recent hardship; in 2009, the county’s valuation was at $395 million. This year, the county’s valuation will fall to $100 million. Every department funded by the county has trimmed all the fat, thanks to the ten percent decrease in valuation last year. This year, the valuation has fallen nearly another 40 percent, plunging many well-used and appreciated programs into budget crises. Although the outlook seems grim, Joe D. asserted the voters and county officials must be able to cooperate to resolve issues – without the rumor mill churning.
Joe D. mentioned the incredible response from people who use the public transportation van, lamenting that the state had given the county serious financial incentive to start the program, and has now essentially choked off all funding for it. Every program is important to those it benefits, and attempting to cut the proverbial “fat” where there is none is an exhausting job.
When speaking of balancing a difficult budget, cutting costs is one way to even things out; increasing the amount coming in is another option. Currently, Stevens County receives no money from sales tax. The statewide rate is 6.5% and the city receives 1.5% additional, for a total sales tax rate of 8.0%. The county has looked at a one-cent sales tax increase to raise some funding. Joe D. remarked the county’s accountant said a one-cent sales tax increase would have generated $635,000 in 2015. That’s nearly six and a half mils for the county to allocate to crucial programs and services.
Those present acknowledged Stevens County had been blessed in the past, regarding low taxes and high valuations. Now the county is having to cut budgets and raise taxes to balance the budget. The sensation is a bit unusual, but nothing Stevens County residents can’t handle. If a one-cent sales tax increase was approved for the August ballot, it would go into effect January 1, 2017. If the same measure is on the November ballot, the increase would begin April 1, 2017.
Don Beesley remarked that county budgets are not cut and dried; their funding comes from several different sources. For example, the Health Department applies for matching grants, so when the county cuts $10,000, the department potentially loses $20,000. Josh Morris from the Extension office agreed, saying his department is funded by the state and the county; both have issued cuts totaling 15% of his budget in the past year. He then talked about the possibility of districting to those present. His handout detailed the many benefits of Extensions sharing their resources. Josh also said districting with area counties offers the possibility of increased programs and services, as well as lessening the possibility of Extension programs being cut due to decreased funding.
Joe D. then had to travel to Moscow for his second Coffee of the day, but said any resident is welcome to contact him about any concerns they might have over the phone, email or even Facebook. He also asserted getting a good turnout for the elections in August and November was crucial for the future of Stevens County. His final words were, “S.T.P. – Share The Plan,” so talk to your friends, family, neighbors, and make sure you vote August 2 and November 8!
