Allen County commissioners were lucky they didn’t nick a finger or two Tuesday morning when they sliced $865,000 from proposed tax revenue in their 2012 budget.
Even so, the property tax levy is up 1.003 mills at 67.759, which would raise $6,249,548 in ad valorem taxes.
For perspective, a levy of one mill assessed against a house with appraised value of $100,000 raises $11.50, which would translate to $779.23 in county taxes next years at the current levy.
Precise configuration of the budget will be reported later, and may have changed a tad more this morning. Commissioners scheduled an adjourned session for 8:30 a.m. to decide the final document after, all said, having “a chance to sleep on it.”
Rodney Burns, a Chanute accountant who has prepared Allen County’s budget for years, generated three versions Tuesday.
The first, with all requests for tax support intact for department heads and others with a history of Allen County support, came in with a 10.405-mill increase.
“I’m not prepared for a 10-mill increase,” said Commissioner Gary McIntosh. Nor was he, said Commission Chairman Rob Francis.
Commissioner Dick Works a veteran of 20 years of hacking away at first-blush budgets was emotionless, save a raise of his eyebrows and a wry smile.
In 45 minutes, the levy was down to an increase of 5.58 mills, including erasure of a 6-mill increase for the ambulance service, with part of that suggested revenue boost going to the general fund. Money there may be transferred elsewhere.
Then came the second slashing.
NO SUPPORT was immediately included for the Allen County Animal Rescue Facility.
Supporters asked commissioners for a grant of $50,000, with the contention that without substantial support soon ACARF’s shelter at LaHarpe might have to close.
The organization spent $150,000 on operations and debt service ($12,000) its first year while having revenue of about $100,000 from donations, fees and fundraising. At mid-July its bank balance was $6,000.
ACARF may be caught in the lurch.
Commissioners have given no indication that if they were to agree to support money would be made available immediately. The group’s best hope is in the 2012 budget, which isn’t effective until Jan. 1.
“I think we should help ACARF, but not in an ongoing fashion,” McIntosh said, rather a year-to-year decision
Francis said he might agree to some assistance, perhaps to support fees charged for animals dumped in the county and carried to the shelter.
McIntosh said he might favor as much as $20,000, if ACARF demonstrated that it was going to remain viable.
Works, with an apparent tongue-in-cheek proposal, said a box might be placed in the treasurer’s office and people coming to pay property taxes could donate, and demonstrate whether they were willing to have tax money go to the shelter.
“I’ve had calls from people who adamant on both sides” of the issue, he said, and announced that he thought McIntosh’s proposal of $20,000 was unrealistic.
“I don’t know whether we should give $1, $20,000 or $50,000,” Francis said, allowing that his view had to be as a county commissioner, with “my personal feelings put aside. My wife and I support ACARF.”
Chanute’s Faith House, which last year provided assistance to more 100 homeless and unemployed Allen Countians, asked for support of $3,000 — the city of Iola already has agreed to provide $3,000 — and may receive help in 2012.
“If we decide to, we can take that much from the general fund,” Works said.
COMMISSIONERS agreed to a contract with Joe Weiner, of Wood.com, Humboldt, to level and repair underpinnings of the floor in Humboldt’s Senior Citizens Center.
Weiner proposed spending $1,800 on materials and labor, with the only additional cost being more lumber.
Wet conditions in the center’s basement — the building dates to the late 1800s — also should be dealt with, Weiner said. Commissioners said they would consider that later.
A countywide burning ban will take effect at noon Thursday and remain in place until the drought is broken.
