The Clarion County commissioners on Tuesday morning adopted a tentative 2024 budget of $23,407,978, which doesn’t include a tax increase. The last tax increase in the county was in 2012.
The taxes will remain at 20.25 mills for real estate; .1 mill for debt service and a $5 per capita tax.
The budget was balanced with a $250,000 transfer from the reserve.
Tharan said there were many factors impacting the budget. “There were a lot of positions that weren’t filled throughout the year. Revenues were up. The Assessment Department is finding places that weren’t on the tax rolls and we have been watching our expenses.”
Fiscal consultant Rose Logue said the county has been working on “getting our interest up, and that helps. Our collection rate on taxes has increased from 93 percent to 95 percent.”
Tharan suggested the county look at engaging an investment firm to monitor the county’s investments. “We are still leaving money on the table. I suggest we do that after the first of the year.”
Logue said one of the major reductions in expenses will be the closing of one district magistrate’s office.
Logue said salary increases were at the negotiated rate for union employees and at 3% for nonrepresented employees. The health insurance rates went up between 7% and 8%.
“We have about $800,000 in expenses every month,” Logue said.
There was an increase in the match to the Children and Youth Services budget of about $142,000.
“Last year, we budgeted about $900,000 and this year it is over $1 million,” she said. “The way placements have been going and the cost of placements, and the age of the children increase the cost. Utilities really hit us hard this year. We put in an additional $23,000 this year.”
The county is looking at one capital project — rehabilitation of the Clarion County Courthouse.
According to Logue, “Our fund balance is very strong. Right now, we have $8.8 million in our reserve. We are looking good for 2024.”
The tentative budget will be displayed on the county’s web page. The final budget will be approved at the Dec. 27 commissioners meeting.