Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Message June 6, 2013 Dear Allegany County Residents, The goals of Allegany County are expressed each fiscal year in our budget. As in previous years, this budget reflects the economic and financial realities we face not only today but in the foreseeable future. Like County Commissioners before us, we must make tough decisions that best prepare our County and future Boards with a solid foundation. During our brief tenure in office, we have already made several difficult decisions and we are required to do so again this year. With regard to the development of this year’s budget, the County held three public budget hearings for the outside agencies that we fund, three public work sessions between the Commissioners and our staff, and two formal budget hearings for community input. For the very first time for this Board of County Commissioners, the budget process was not overshadowed by the prospect of layoffs or furloughs for County employees. Thankfully, there were no new major shifts in state funded programs. It appears that for now, we have a chance to catch our collective breaths. However, we cannot relax. The loss of 90% of the County’s Highway User Funds and the shift of the State Teachers Pension Liability back to the local level looms large and will preoccupy the County’s budgeting process and its financial commitments for many years to come. For the first time in five years, our budget will provide an increase of $130,000 to Allegany College of Maryland. This additional appropriation will serve to eliminate one-third of the proposed tuition increase for students and their families for the upcoming school year. For the first time in six years the County is now able to give an increase to both Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission (HRDC) and our Library System. In full compliance with Maryland State Law, this year’s budget will achieve the State Mandated Maintenance of Effort requirement for the Board of Education, which provides $378,000 over last year’s budget. This budget also allows for a contingency fund to support school safety programs as may be recommended by the Allegany County Health Department and the Sheriff’s Office. It is important to note, that funding for education remains the County’s single highest priority, and garners 80% of all outside appropriations made by the County. In addition to supporting education, providing basic core services to our residents has been and remains a key priority for this Board. We have and will continue to work creatively with State and Federal agencies to maximize the most favorable grant and loan opportunities available to our community. With regard to public water and sewer, our County’s Public Works Department is involved in the planning, design, or the construction of an estimated 50 million dollars worth of public utility projects at this time. Beginning this year, we asked our public works staff to begin the process of reporting annually to the Commissioners on the maintenance and equipment needs of our County Roads Division. We will be tasking our staff to find a way to ensure that within the next three to five years, the County will be able to achieve 100% of the maintenance and equipment needs necessary to support our County’s publicly maintained roads system. Building upon our commitment from two years ago, this Board will continue with a slight reduction in the County’s property tax rate of one-tenth of a penny as set forth in Resolution 11-12. And, for the first time in recent memory, the County is prepared to set its tax rate below the constant yield rate. The FY 2014 Budget reflects our commitment to reduce the size of County Government, our commitment to hold the line on taxes, and our commitment to try to run your County Government like a business. In preparation for leaner times, the County has elected to reduce its annual planned debt service. Furthermore, again this year this Board will not use the County’s fund balance to balance this budget. These basic strategies were viewed favorably by both Standard and Poor’s Rating Services (S&P) and Moody’s Investor Services, which chose to upgrade the County’s bond rating in 2013. With the adoption of this budget, the County will accomplish these important goals: A rate decrease in property taxes that equals one-tenth of a penny. A budget which does not rely upon the County’s fund balance to fund internal or outside agency commitments. Small budget increases for Allegany College of Maryland, the Allegany County Library System, HRDC, and the Allegany County Board of Education. For the first time in four budget years, our budget provides an across the board COLA of three percent to County employees. Cost saving initiatives that have helped control expenses included: refinancing existing debt to capture record low interest rates, block grant funding and federal and state grants for water and sewer projects. We want to express our sincerest appreciation to the County’s Senior Management Team and department heads for their steadfast commitment to stay within their authorized budgets and to creatively allow our community to make it through this difficult financial period. A complete copy of the budget will be available on the County’s website at gov.allconet.org in mid June. Sincerely, The Board of County Commissioners Michael W. McKay, President Creade V. Brodie., Commmissioner William R. Valentine, Commissioner
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:53:55 +0000
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