By By JOHN EBY / Vigilant/Argus
It would take almost $1 million to close the gap between revenues and expenditures for the 2004 Cass budget, County Administrator Terry L. Proctor showed the Board of Commissioners Aug. 28.
Revenue estimates to date anticipate $12,808,456 and $13,737,316 in expenditure requests submitted by the various departments -- a difference of $928,860.
Last Thursday's meeting was a special session intended to familiarize the 15-member board with the budget process leading to a public hearing on the proposed spending plan Nov. 6 and adoption by the commission on Nov. 20.
Changing the fiscal year for a one-time gain was placed on Thursday's agenda, then withdrawn until the 7:30 p.m. meeting Sept. 4 at the Council on Aging.
Commissioners will set the property tax rate after a public hearing on Sept. 18.
Oct. 2 Proctor is scheduled to submit his proposed budget to the county board, which will review the numbers at a Committee of the Whole work session Oct. 16.
The 2003 budget includes $13,082,175 in revenue and $13,104,308 in expenditures.
Proctor pointed out for the board how, despite perceptions that it's a larger share, property taxes contribute $6,228,100, or 47.61 percent.
Other significant sources include grants ($2,337,031 or 17.86 percent), charges for services ($1,729,045 or 13.22 percent) and state revenue sharing ($998,878 or 7.64 percent).