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Citizens for Better Government
Blount County Tennessee
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County
Spending increases in new budget
·
Inflation (CPI) from 2007 to 2010 was 5.1%. Using
the high estimate of 2% inflation for next year, and assuming no
increases in efficiency, we should expect the County General Fund budget
to show an increase of 7.1% from 2007 to 2011.
·
Unfortunately, the new County General Fund
2011 budget has increased by a whopping 19% over this period,
more than 2.6 times the rate of inflation.
·
Some General Fund departments, like Information
Technology and Purchasing, are efficient and effective. However, other
departments are major contributors to the runaway General Fund budget. For example:
|
Department |
FY
2011 Budget |
2007
– 2011 Increase |
|
Sheriff inc. Jail & Juvenile Serv. |
$20,649,000 |
26% |
|
Building Commisioner, Codes, Stormwater,
Engineering |
$471,000 |
39% |
|
Tax Assessor inc. Reappraisal Prog |
$1,357,000 |
26% |
|
Registrar of Deeds |
$618,800 |
43% |
|
Election Commission |
$584,100 |
48% |
|
Animal Control |
$414,800 |
215% |
|
County Buildings |
$1,570,300 |
45% |
|
Human Resources |
$169,600 |
24% |
|
Other General Administration |
$813,399 |
34% |
|
Agricultural Extension Serv. |
$178,299 |
34% |
|
Other Charges |
$157,480 |
309% |
·
There may be good reasons for a few of these
increases, but the overall effect has been to drive the budget out of control.
·
All these increases took place in a period
when most of us were trying to get by on increases of 7%, or less.
- Rather
than address these problems by cutting the budget, the Mayor and
Commission decided to empty the County reserve funds and kick the problem
down the road until after the elections. Mayor Cunningham, in a rare moment of
candor, admitted to Blount Today that a 40% tax increase will be required
next year, if current County spending continues.
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