County budget projected to remain about the same in 2015

If early estimates are any indication, Cape Girardeau County continued its recent pattern of flat spending by officeholders through this year. Because of this, the county budget for 2015 is expected to be nearly identical to the budget for 2014.

The Cape Girardeau County Commission listened to a presentation Thursday morning from county auditor Pete Frazier and held a public hearing before voting to approve the preliminary budget for next year. Frazier explained this action was needed for the county to continue operations through the end of December until the commission votes on a final budget in early January, after the completion of bill paying and revenue gathering for the previous year.

The preliminary budget presented to the commissioners for 2015 equaled a little more than $11.8 million, based on revenue and expenditure estimates for 2014 and budget requests made by each of the county offices for 2015. That number comes in just a few thousand dollars below the 2014 total, which also was about $11.8 million.

County offices have been asked to make more efforts to trim their budgets over the past years, as the county has experienced a lack of sales tax revenue growth. Numbers do appear slightly more hopeful for 2014, with the county collecting more than $7 million in sales tax revenue for the first time. The half-cent general sales tax accounts for the majority of the county's revenue.

Areas where the budget is proposed to be lower include about $8,000 less being spent at the offices of circuit court divisions I and II, $141,400 less in election spending -- 2014 was an election year, requiring more money -- and about $36,000 less being spent at the Recorder of Deeds' office. The county also is spending less on drug court, juvenile detention and buildings and grounds.

General expenses for the county are expected to be around $67,700 less next year. Funds for this area of the budget have decreased three of the past four years.

At Thursday's meeting, Associate Commissioner Paul Koeper commended officeholders for their conservative spending.

"Last year, we really tightened up everyone's budget," he said. "The fact that officeholders are using money wisely and not spending everything [in their budget] is a positive thing."

srinehart@semissourian.com

388-3641

Pertinent address:

1 Barton Square, Jackson, Mo.