County finances look better than originally anticipated

After hashing out the 2008-2009 proposed budget, Yuma County officials say the outlook is actually better than expected.

County Administrator Robert Pickels said they found $5 million more from capital project sales tax revenue than foreseen.

This will give the county additional money for its building projects and allow it to revive the South County Satellite Office Complex.

The complex, which will neighbor the new San Luis Library when it is built, has been in the planning stages for several years. However, work on it was stalled this year when revenues for 2007-2008 came in lower than expected.

"It's been an existing project but the funding we had put in this fiscal year was taken out to accommodate some of the shortfalls," Pickels said.

Another $1.7 million will be designated for planning a satellite office in the east county area.

The additional funds came from capital project sales tax, so they cannot be used for items outside capital projects, Pickels said. But this does give them some unexpected room in a lean economic year.

County staff made its final presentation of the more than $276 million budget to the Yuma County Board of Supervisors on Friday. About $82 million of that is general fund, which is used to pay for most county services and employee salaries.

It is slated for adoption at the board's regular meeting 9 a.m. Monday in the Board of Supervisors Auditorium, 198 S. Main St.

The next fiscal year budget also includes:

-An additional Yuma County Sheriff's Office deputy sheriff and a pledge to pay for three existing positions that are currently grant-funded. Those grants are set to expire next year.

-The jail district will add 20 new positions and the library district will add 17 when new facilities are completed next year.

-A new full-time juvenile detention officer.

-A custodian for the Yuma County Justice Center, a probation officer/court liaison and a Superior Court collection specialist.

But, Pickels added, the county is still waiting to see what happens in Phoenix.

"We're still cognizant of the fact that the state Legislature may take some action to cause us to make some adjustments," he said. "I don't think they're any closer at this point. They have to take some action by June 30."


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Sarah Reynolds can be reached at
sreynolds@yumasun.com or 539-6847.