CLEARFIELD – Yesterday, the Clearfield County Commissioners approved the tentative 2015 budget without any tax increase.
The county’s budget proposal maintains real estate taxes at 18.5 mills. The millage rate has been 18.5 mills since 2011, according to previous GantDaily.com reports.
The general fund budget has $17,989,412 in revenues and expenditures. In addition to its general fund, it has a sub-total of $30,266,295 in revenues and $30,951,390 in expenditures.
The county will take $259,726 from its operating reserve to make sure it’s a balanced budget, said Commissioner John A. Sobel, chair. He noted that the county’s budget will continue to be “a work in progress.”
Sobel said the commissioners are very careful in preparing its budget and how they spend other people’s money. With that in mind, he would like the commissioners to continue to “tweak” the budget and identify areas that they “can live without.”
The commissioners will provide department heads and elected officials with a copy of their budgets and request feedback. “I’m hoping there will be continued discussion over the next 20 days,” he said.
Commissioner Joan Robinson-McMillen said while continuing to work on the budget, she wants the commissioners to “drive down” the amount of money to be taken from the operating reserve. She also pointed out that the county has very little debt, and it could “write a check tomorrow if it had to.”
Robinson-McMillen concluded, saying, “It’s another year without a tax increase, which is a good day for Clearfield County.”
Commissioner Mark B. McCracken commended the county’s department heads who narrowed their “wish lists.” Next year’s budget, he said also limits the county’s capital projects to the courthouse boiler and a software package for the sheriff’s office.
“With revenues holding steady, we have to make do with what we have despite rising expenses,” he said. “This budget represents a cooperative effort on part of the commissioners’ office, the controller’s office and the county’s various departments.”
McCracken continued, saying, “It’s a very good effort under tight times.” Sobel added that the county hasn’t been “enjoying the fruits” of the impact fee funding to the extent that it has in past years.
The commissioners will put the 2015 tentative budget on public display for 20 days and then finalize it in December.
