Nov 20, 2009 By Amy Revak 3 min read

The Fayette County commissioners Thursday approved a tentative 2010 general fund budget with a deficit of nearly $1.5 million that must be made up to avoid a tax increase. According to county manager Warren Hughes, the tentative budget includes expenditures of $23,543,383 minus transfers and revenue of $22,065,233.

Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink stressed that the budget is merely proposed and not final.

She said she is not happy with the expenses being higher than the revenue, but that is normally the way the process is handled, and cuts will take place before it is finalized.

The budget, which is slated for final adoption at the commissioners Dec. 17 meeting, is available for review in the Fayette County courthouse at the commissioners’ office until adoption.

Zimmerlink said there are cost increases to certain items and the commissioners “will have to take a very good look at that.”

Commission Chairman Vincent Zapotosky said some of the increases include a $494,000 increase in health insurance premiums and an increase in the annual retirement contribution (ARC) to the county’s pension fund.

Zapotosky said this year the county had to contribute more than $1 million to the ARC and next year it may be $1.5 million.

“It’s the climate of government,” Zapotosky said of the increases.

He added that the county is still operating at the levels of current spending.

“We need to pare it down and we will,” Zapotosky said.

Commissioner Vincent A. Vicites said despite the increases in spending, revenue is up $439,000 and the total budget is less than last year at this time.

Also, Vicites said the county should soon be receiving a $1.5 million allocation for the county Children and Youth Services department that is long overdue.

“We’re going to balance this and I’m committed to doing that with no increase to the taxpayers,” Vicites said.

The commissioners said they would try to curtail expenses prior to adoption of a balanced budget next month.

The county is also receiving less money from the state for human service providers under the Human Services Development Fund.

The county’s millage rate is currently 3.514 mills.

Vicites said the tentative budget does include 3-percent raises for employees.

The commissioners also took action on a plan to pay people implementing the state-mandated recount of the Fayette County results of the Superior Court Judge race, which must be completed by Nov. 25 at noon.

The state is providing the county $15,000 to perform the recount, which was triggered by a state law. Under the action taken by the commissioners, the workers will be paid $50 for a half a day and $100 for a full day, for a total amount of the recount not to exceed $15,000.

If at all possible, non-county employees will be used so they don’t have to be taken from their jobs.

Zimmerlink said 14 county residents would be used to perform the recount.

Vicites asked that the $15,000 maximum amount be included in the motion.

“We don’t want to spend our tax money when the state is making us do this,” Vicites said.

Acting election bureau director Larry Blosser only had four people working on the count on Wednesday, Zimmerlink said.

Zimmerlink, who initiated the action, said it was necessary to set the compensation rate because Blosser needed that as soon as possible to obtain people to perform the recount.