County Judge Pendergrass addresses challenges in 2017

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     2016 was a challenging year for the Baxter County Quorum Court specifically in terms of stretching revenues in the County’s budget, including the anticipated state minimum wage rising to $8.50. Baxter County Judge Mickey Pendergrass says those challenges from 2016 will be similar in the upcoming year.


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     Pendergrass says the Department of Labor ruling on the minimum salary threshold increase to $47,476 per year for salaried employees came in on top of the state minimum wage ruling.


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     The proposed increase was blocked by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzano III, a federal court judge in Texas. Arkansas is one of the states which filed a lawsuit against the issue. It will likely not be addressed until the Trump administration takes over in January, leaving some of the planning for next year’s budget in limbo.

     According to Pendergrass, problems in increasing salaries for all county employees were further complicated due to how they are paid.


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    In part two of KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot Series on upcoming challenges for Baxter County in 2017, we’ll look at taxes and millage rates to be considered for the budget.




   




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