The Herald-News - News Story

County officials are hammering out the details of the 2009 fiscal year budget and expect to pass it in July, according to Rhea County Finance Director Billy Graham.

The county commission passed a resolution Tuesday to adopt a continuing budget past the normal June 30 deadline, mainly because the county has not yet received the official property tax rate from the state.

"The tax rate is figured but not received yet," said Rhea County Executive Billy Ray Patton.

Last year's tax rate was at $2 per $100 of assessed value, but this year, Graham estimated that it would be reduced to between $1.55 and $1.60 this year. Those figures, however, are not cemented.

The tax rate is dropping to balance a change in property reappraisals. The state mandates that counties cannot reap revenue from reappraisals.

The budget committee is projecting a $35-$40 million budget for the 2009 fiscal year, with $25 million of that funding county schools.

Most of the amendments for the 2009 budget have been passed, Graham added, so the budget only requires minor tweaking.

"The budget is 95-percent finished," Graham said on Thursday.

He said he also needs to tie up loose ends with department heads to determine expenses that can be slimmed down. Among the more flexible items in the budget are maintenance fees, office supplies, contracted services and salaries, all of which are being examined for possible cuts.

The centralized maintenance budget has, in addition, undergone several changes in the upcoming year's budget to accommodate needed roof repair, plumbing and supplies.

Air conditioning work in the high school should be a larger expense in the upcoming year, as well.

Despite some of the higher forecasted costs this year, the prime concern of the budget committee is to prioritize spending, Graham noted.

"The 'want' list is drastically reduced and the 'need' list is the focus," said Graham.

A special-called meeting for the Rhea County School Board, Rhea County Budget Committee and Rhea County Commission will be held on June 30 to discuss the final budget amendments for the fiscal year 2009 budget. After that time, the budget should be near completion, according to Graham.

"I'm looking forward to getting it done," he said. "It's on my desk and I'd like to take care of it and put it on someone else's desk."

Michelle Friesen can be reached at michelle.friesen@rheaheraldnews.com.