WALKER PLAN WOULD 'EASILY' LEAD TO $1-MILLION CLARK CO. DEFICIT
Thursday, March 3rd, 2011 -- 11:36 AM
Yesterday, we told you that Walker?s budget would hit local school districts hard. The Neillsville school district is projecting a cut of around $755,000 cut to their revenue limit, which is made up of local tax dollars and state aid.Clark County Finance Director Terry Domaszek has been crunching the numbers. She says Governor Walker?s budget would likely reduce shared revenue to Clark County by about $220,000 in 2012, and that?s just a portion of the puzzle. Other departments?including Social Services and the Highway Department?would see massive cuts in state payments. While the exact dollar figure isn?t known, she says the county will ?easily? see a budget deficit of $1-million in 2012.
Under Walker?s plan, the county would only be able to increase the property tax levy by about $60,000.
Domaszek says the county would see some savings if the budget repair bill is passed. It would allow the county to force employees to pay more for health insurance and retirement, but it would only affect non-union workers this year and next, with total savings of about $700,000 over the next two years. The county?s union workers are under contract through the end of 2012.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.