CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners are struggling to draft a balanced 2017 tentative budget, announced Commissioner John A. Sobel, chair, at Tuesday’s regular meeting.
While the commissioners are still aiming for a budget that doesn’t increase the tax burden on residents, Sobel said it may not be possible with its present shortfall being “several mills.”
“We’ve been working very hard on the budget every day for the past several weeks,” he said. “Unfortunately, the county is finding its expenses are outweighing its income.”
He continued: “We are struggling with trying to make sure the two will balance out. We will continue working on it … but want people to know that expenses have become very high and income has remained stagnant or declined.”
Sobel and Commissioner Tony Scotto attributed the budget shortfall primarily to the county’s significant decline in Marcellus Shale Act 13 funds over the past several years.
The county’s allocation was more than $1 million at its peak, but those revenues have fallen by about 50 percent. “It’s what allowed us to reduce taxes a number of years ago,” said Sobel.
The commissioners also noted increases in costs due to: housing inmates in Jefferson and Centre counties; higher numbers of Children & Youth Services placements; and increases in healthcare and retirement plan costs.
Sobel said this has probably been the most difficult budget to try to balance in his career as commissioner, and the commissioners even have Scotto – the former controller – on the board to help with guiding them through it.
The commissioners will present the 2017 tentative budget at their Dec. 6 workshop meeting. It will be put on public display and available online afterward until it is finalized by the commissioners Dec. 27.
