Ada County Gives Citizens Opportunity to Weigh-In on Budget
Posted on 07-22-2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2010 |
Contact: Jessica Donald
Communications Specialist
208-287-6998
jdonald@adaweb.net |
Ada County Gives Citizens Opportunity to Weigh-In on Budget
Commissioners Hold the Line on Taxes for Fifth Consecutive Year
(Boise, ID) – On Tuesday, July 27th at 6 p.m., the Board of Ada County Commissioners will hold a public hearing wherein the Ada County Clerk will present the County’s Fiscal Year 2010-11 proposed budget. This will be held at the Ada County Courthouse – 200 W. Front Street, in the Public Hearing Room on the first floor. The budget hearing is specifically intended to offer citizens an opportunity to weigh-in on Ada County’s FY11 spending priorities.
Ada County’s proposed FY11 budget totals $174,359,487. While unfunded state mandates account for a portion of the change, a skyrocketing increase in the number of medical claims filed with the County’s Indigent Services Department makes up a major component of the $3.3 million budget increase. However, the cornerstone of the proposed FY11 Ada County budget is a commitment by Commissioners to hold the line on property taxes. The proposed budget means NO increase in property taxes for County levy funds. In FY10, the County collected $81,688,522 in property taxes to support County operations funded within the 3% levy cap -- the same amount will be levied for in FY11.
The proposed FY11 budget marks the fifth consecutive year Commissioners have chosen not to levy for the allowed 3% property tax increase, and the first year in which they have not levied taxes on newly constructed properties never before appearing on the property tax roll. Taxes forgone for FY11 will amount to $3,426,571, and the cumulative effect of not levying the allowed taxes over the past five years amounts to more than $41,849,174 left in the pockets of taxpayers instead of being used to fill County funding gaps. Despite the state of the economy, Commissioners have made this possible by maintaining a conservative approach to budgeting for the past several years.
Next Steps:
Public Budget Hearing
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 – 6:00 p.m.
Ada County Courthouse, Public Hearing Room, 1st Floor
Residents are encouraged to take the opportunity to provide input at the proposed budget presentation hearing on July 27th. Following that, the Board of Ada County Commissioners will set the tentative budget on Monday, August 2nd. The next step will be publishing of the tentative budget on Monday, August 9th. Once the tentative budget is published, according to state law, it may not increase; however, further reductions may be made if necessary. Commissioners will adopt the final budget on Tuesday, August 17th.
Written comments regarding the budget are also encouraged, and may be submitted to the Board of Ada County Commissioners by mail to 200 W. Front Street, Boise, ID 83702, or by e-mail to bocc1@adaweb.net. Residents may also contact the Commissioners Office at (208) 287-7000.
The tentative budget is now available via the Spotlight Box of the Ada County Web page at www.adaweb.net, or by clicking below.