The final budget for the 2003-2004 fiscal year will be $1.6
million more than the proposed budget, according to the San Benito
County’s Final Budget Resolution.
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a
final budget of $65.8 million
– more than the proposed budget of $64.2 million.
The final budget for the 2003-2004 fiscal year will be $1.6 million more than the proposed budget, according to the San Benito County’s Final Budget Resolution.
The San Benito County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a final budget of $65.8 million – more than the proposed budget of $64.2 million.
Increases in the public works department, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, capital outlay and more than $1 million in general funding contributed to the increase.
The Board decided to cancel the Unanticipated Events Reserve of $1.5 million to supplement the $1.6-million increase, said Assistant County Administrative Officer Terrence May.
“(The reserve) was like a rainy day fund that past Boards prudently set aside, so in times of economic uncertainty (the county) has a cushion to fall back on,” May said.
During the past months, while the state’s budget was being decided, San Benito County’s budget was “up in the air,” May said. Because 60 percent of the county’s funding comes from the state, the county can’t do anything with certainty until the state’s budget is finalized.After the state’s final budget was signed by the governor Aug. 2, county supervisors approved the provisionary budget Aug. 5. The almost two month interval between the Board approving the budget and finalizing it was spent making the necessary changes to formulate a balanced plan, May said.
“Usually it takes several weeks before we go forward (with the final budget),” May said. “The proposed budget provides a vehicle to continue the day-to-day operations of the county government.”
Last year’s final budget of $72.8 million exceeded this year’s budget by almost $7 million. The state’s budget crisis has had a considerable impact on small counties such as San Benito County, said Board Supervisor Reb Monaco.
“We’ve been very lean and mean (with the budget),” Monaco said, “which has to happen, although next year the picture doesn’t look any rosier. It will be a tight situation again.”
The fact that the county is not in deficit spending and has maintained county employee positions is evidence to county departments’ cooperation with the Board in limiting spending, Monaco said.
“Everyone’s tightened their belts,” he said.
This year’s budget has been a difficult one to construct because of uncertainty at the state level and the impact of the continuing recession on local revenues. The impacts the county will feel by this year’s slight budget will be offset by the budget being balanced, the Board’s conservative spending habits and the county’s department heads being frugal in their spending of the public’s money, May said.
“It will help us weather this challenge and the tough times over the next several years,” May said.
