COUNTY'S '94 BUDGET WILL EXCEED $6 MILLION

JACKSON -- Cape Girardeau County commissioners are expected to give final approval today to a 1994 budget that Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep warns is threatened by increased state and federal mandates and other escalating expenses.

In his annual budget message, Huckstep will point out that in 1993 the county spent 87.7 percent of its budget, rather than the normal 75-80 percent.

Cape Girardeau County's proposed budget for 1994 in the general operations category, is $6.09 million, which is a 5.84 percent increase over last year. In 1993, county revenue increased 6.32 percent, and this year's budget is based on estimated growth of 6 percent.

The county budget is divided into three categories: general operations; roads and bridges; and a capital trust account, which is used for emergencies and major expenditures.

State law requires a public hearing on the budget before it can be approved by a county commission. Cape Girardeau County's hearing will be at 11 a.m. today in the commission's chambers on the top floor of the County Administration Building in Jackson.

Huckstep, who as presiding commissioner is the chief budget officer, will present his annual budget message and then the commission will consider the document for approval.

County public budget hearings are rarely attended by more than a handful of people; most years, no one shows up but officeholders and news media.

In 1992 and 1993, Huckstep said the county spent a higher percentage of its budget because of increased health insurance and capital expenditures.

In this year's budget, Huckstep said health insurance costs are projected to go up again. Another big item that will be funded this year is an updating of the county's eight-year-old main frame computer system.

The computer upgrade will cost about $250,000 this year, and the costs are spread through several county offices that will utilize the new system.

On the county revenue part of the budget, available revenue includes a balance of $1.802 million on the books as of Dec. 31, and projected revenue from the half-cent sales tax of $3.6 million. Approximately $1.3 million is projected in fee income and funds from other sources.

The proposed budget also has an unencumbered balance of $575,516.

The county's capital trust account balance, which was $3,117,849 on Jan. 1, 1993, grew by more than $600,000 during the year. The account had an end of the year balance of $3,787,968.

That capital trust balance, however, includes about $275,000 in receipts from a use tax that took effect 18 months ago and has been challenged in court. The money is being held by the county, pending a ruling this year by the U.S. Supreme Court.

If the suit is upheld, the money would have to be refunded.

In the road and bridge portion of budget, the total is $1.776 million, which is the same as 1993. Funds for the road and bridge budget come from several sources, including a 23 cent property tax levy that is expected to generate just over $400,000 this year.

The county also receives some funds from Cape Special Road District, state gas tax money, sales taxes from licenses and motor vehicles, federal off-systems road money for the construction of bridges, and money paid by residents as part of the county's dust control, road-sealing program.

After getting the budget process started in late October, Huckstep missed some of the budget work due to illness during most of December.

When Huckstep became ill, Auditor H. Weldon Macke coordinated the process, with assistance from County Clerk Rodney Miller and Associate Commissioners Larry Bock and E.C. Younghouse.

"Everybody was pretty cooperative with the budget. The process went real smooth," said Macke. "We all worked together and were able to put together a pretty even budget."

The budget includes pay increases for county employees, based on a pay classification system approved several years ago. Pay raises were generally in the range of 3 percent, Macke said.

Macke said he is hoping that in 1994, the county will spend a lower percentage of what is budgeted than it did in 1993.

Said Macke: "Hopefully we won't spend another 88 percent of our budget and will get down to around the 80-81 percent range again."