County valuation and sales tax revenue down

WORLAND – Washakie County commissioners discussed shortfalls to Washakie County for the 2016-2017 fiscal year budget.

“I think obviously our biggest cut out there is reduction in valuation and reduction in sales tax,” Commission Chair Aaron Anderson said.

Valuation is down $30 million, and valuation revenue to the county is down $370,000, he added.

Washakie County Clerk Mary Grace Strauch said the county usually receives $800,000 in sales tax, but for the last fiscal year, they only received $601,000. With this in mind, the county reduced the sales tax estimate for the 2016-2017 fiscal year to $480,000.

“We estimate revenue and expenditures and approve those estimates, and that’s what essentially establishes our budget. If we go outside of that, we’ll have a budget hearing to amend that,” Anderson said.

The county is set to approve a $5,200,000 budget in revenue, which includes grants, Strauch said. The previous fiscal year budgeted at $6,600,000.

Expenditures for the upcoming fiscal year are $7,967,000, Strauch said, with the previous fiscal year budgeted at $8,750,000.

Strauch said the difference between revenue and expenditures is balance through what the county receives in property taxes.

Anderson said there are some unknowns, with things like payment in lieu of taxes (PILT.)

“We estimate PILT fairly conservatively because we don’t even know if we’re going to get it next year,” he said.

While the county was able to cut $800,000 in expenses from the previous year, some hidden cuts that affect the county have been identified.

Washakie County Sheriff Steve Rakness had previously informed the county that they will cover the expenses for food and ammunition for potential officers in state mandated training.

Anderson previously said food and ammunition “should be to the few hundred or few thousands because we’re not sending people there constantly.”

With the state making a $248 million cut, Anderson discussed cuts in mental health services, that while don’t directly flow through the county, still make an impact.

“I think there have been some pretty big cuts with mental health services coming out of the Department of Health … but that money doesn’t flow through the county,” Anderson said.

“Those services go to mental health and the department has restructured some of their stuff for mental health providers, which impacts the county and impacts Title 25,” he added.

There will be a public hearing Monday, July 18 at the Washakie County Courthouse in the Commissioners Room to discuss the budget. The following day, July 19, the commissioners will adopt the budget.