Small Town News

County budget absorbs any EMS savings

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A budget based on adopting the effective tax rate and calling for the county to collect more than $20 million in revenues and spend more than $22 million during the 2010 Fiscal year was approved by the Wharton County Commissioners Court during their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday morning.

In adopting the effective tax rate, the commissioner acknowledged  that while they are not looking at an increase, there will be no rate reduction connected with the passage of the Emergency Management Districts 3 and 4, which will collect tax revenues to support the operation of the Wharton and El Campo EMS service districts.

"That represents about $400,000," County Judge John Murrile said.

"But the revenue projections are down and that sucked that money right up."

Among those revenue streams that the county is expecting to drop during the coming year include sales tax, interest and fines and forfeitures.

The general fund revenues are expected to be at $12,462,483 for the coming year and will be supported by 30.75 cents of the adopted 54.376 cent overall tax rate of the county. Of those revenues, $7,817,695 will be generated by current property taxes with the next largest amounts coming from an anticipated sales tax revenues, projected at $1.8 million; and

$1,045,310 for charges for services.

The majority of the general fund expenditures will go to the county's employees, with $6,660,712 set aside for salaries and wages and another $2,610,798 for employee benefits. Total appropriations are expected to run $13,544,550, giving the general fund a projected deficit of $1,082,067 for the year.



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© 2009 East Bernard Express East Bernard, Texas. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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