After raising the taxing rate for personal and real property by 2 mills at its November meeting, the Baxter County Quorum Court is poised to pass the 2020 budget when it meets in regular session Tuesday evening at 6.As noted in earlier KTLO, Classic Hits and The Boot news reports, increases in the voter mandated raise in the minimum wage leading to a realignment of the county’s wage scale, federal adjustments to the Fair Labor Standards Act and soaring health insurance costs were among the factors leading to the tax increase.
Justice of the Peace Gary Smith, who serves as chair of the budget committee, says the raise in the minimum wage and the Fair Labor Standards Act adjustment compressed the wage scale. In response, he says a great deal of work went into decompressing the scale.
Listen:
Smith says while every employees’ compensation package has been touched by the effort, some requests were denied in the proposed budget.
Other highlights of the proposed budget include $278,000 for the county’s portion for new voting equipment, with the state contributing about $180,000, and three vehicles for the sheriff’s office.
The proposed budget encompasses 56 pages, with the county allowed to budget up to 90% of anticipated revenue.
The proposal for the county general portion of the budget stands at $8.4 million. With the restricted portion of the budget included, the court will consider total funding of just over $17 million, down from over $18 million in 2019.
The increased 2 mills are projected to generate $1.1 million annually, allowing the county to address deferred projects, including maintenance.
The 2020 proposed budget is one of six items on the quorum court’s agenda Tuesday evening.
In addition to regular housekeeping measures, the agenda includes ordinances establishing the additional motor fuel tax fund, Act 416 of 2019, and updating a job description in the assessor’s office.
The meeting will be held in the second floor courtroom of the Baxter County Courthouse.
The full agenda packet is available at Baxter County Quorum Court agenda.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI