Nov 8, 2002 By Christine Haines 4 min read

WASHINGTON – Despite a deficit of about $1.5 million in the tentative county budget, all three county commissioners are confident the $48.4 million general fund budget can be balanced without a tax increase. The budget process began with an anticipated deficit of about $2.5 million, according to budget director Roger Metcalfe. Another $700,000 was added for health insurance increases, but Metcalfe said that amount was offset by increased revenues of just more than $1 million. According to the commissioners, more cuts were made to the budget during hearings with the department heads of all of the county offices.

“We cut out many summer employees,” said Commissioner Diana Irey. “We’ve had good cooperation from the elected officials, standing down on their requests.”

The commissioners said the county still must explore additional revenue sources as well.

“I’ve written a letter to the redevelopment board, asking them to help us out with any funds they had from the Southpointe land sales,” said commission Chairman John Bevec.

The commissioners borrowed $5.4 million through a bond issue to get Southpointe started in 1988, according to Irey.

“There is no legal requirement for them to pay that back,” Irey said.

But, the redevelopment authority has given the commissioners about $1.1 million toward the general fund over the years, Bevec said.

He said potential new revenues could come from taxes on cellular telephone towers, and additional revenues also are coming in from new home construction and from the business development at Southpointe.

“It’s very tough. You have to look under every rock for every dime,” Bevec said.

One wildcard in the budget, Bevec said, is that the constantly changing stock market is playing havoc with the county’s pension fund. The county hasn’t had to put any money into the pension fund for the past several years, but at least $900,000 is needed for the coming year to fully fund the pension program, and Bevec said it could go as high as $1.2 million.

All three commissioners are looking toward the excess revenue fund at the Washington County Health Center to help balance the budget as well, a step they took in 2000. The health center has been operating in the black and has funds set aside for building improvements and for health care, Commissioner J. Bracken Burns said, but it still has about $3 million in excess revenue.

“It’s the taxpayers’ money and we can move it from one line item to another,” Burns said.

He said it would be foolish to raise taxes when the county has a pool of tax money available for use. Burns said the county is also looking into the possibility of refinancing some of its debt, which could result in savings of about $500,000.

Bevec said the health center fund is the last resource he wants to see used to balance the budget.

“In my heart I believe that money should be kept at the health center, but it is there as a last resort,” Bevec said. “In the past the county has funded the health center and now it is in the black with a cash reserve, so that money could come back to the general fund.”

Burgettstown resident Harry Sabatasse suggested that the commissioners sell the Western Center property on the open market, since it is said to be worth about $9 million, resolving all current and some future budget problems. Irey pointed out that the county is not permitted to sell the land to a private developer under the terms of its agreement with the state and under the terms of the original grant of the land from the Morgan family.

The original stipulation was that the land always be used for the community. Irey said the committee developing reuse plans for Western Center have included numerous public use elements in the plan.