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Show Davis Taices: Perhaps Down Or Maybe Up By TOM BUSSELBERG FARMINGTON -- County government is in for a tight budget year. AND WHILE taxpayers may assume that means a lessening of their tax load, they might as well dismiss that pleasantry as a mere dream. County officials in the know indicate taxes may dip slightly-from 9.05 general mill levy to 8.6, or about five percent to comply with legislative guidelines. But taxes could increase depending on what the school board decides. THAT GROUP is contemplating implementing im-plementing up to a four mill increase, two from a voted leeway authorization and two of three possible emergency mills. But faced with following House Bill 104, the county must keep its revenue at the so-called "106 percent level" which means all property tax mill levies must be adjusted so they don't exceed 106 percent of the previous year's total, explained County Auditor Ludeen Gibbons and Assessor Thayne Corbridge in a recent interview. IN ADDITION to that six percent growth, new construction and improvements improve-ments can be counted along with any - growth, with that amount estimated at four percent by Mr. Corbridge. That leaves no room for inflation although the county estimated 15 percent growth in the budget, figured last December, Decem-ber, prior to the Legislature's opening much less passage of the bill. The county operates on a calendar year. "SIXTY-FIVE percent of the total budget is for salaries and benefits. And utilities uti-lities are just eating us alive," Mrs. Gibbons Gib-bons said. Employees are awarded an 1 1 Vi percent cost of living increase and most are also receiving a Vh percent merit raise this year. All of that leads to problems, as a $648,783 deficit currently plagues the county. coun-ty. A meeting Monday say department heads conferring with the commissioners in an attempt to begin figuring ways to pare that down. CUTS ARE easier said than done with Mr. Corbridge repeating the phrase that will probably be in everyone's mind. "Don't cut me, don't cut three, but cut that guy behind the tree." "They are looking at ways they may cut," Mrs. Gibbons said. "If ihey cut. say. 10 percent in each department I see no way but to cut personnel. But here again I don't know how they could cut." USING HER own office as an example, she said one staff member is assigned to each area, such as taxes and payroll and it would be difficult to cut that pie up. "I really need more accounts," she added. "It's reaching the point we can't just say work harder. I've stayed until 4 a.m. in the morning, sometimes, with the staff. They get no overtime," Mrs. Gibbons said, while Mr. Corbridge related similar instances in his office where employees often either stay late or take home whatever work they can. MAKING THINGS a bit rougher is uncertainty un-certainty as to federal revenue sharing monies. The county has received double its previous amount, adding up to more than $200,000 a quarter. It hasn't been determined deter-mined if that is based on the county's new population or is an error. "We've invested it in hopes we can earn interest," Mrs. Gibbons said. "You're not supposed to earn interest but how else can we do it. The money has really helped us but we only use what we have to." IT ALL adds up to rough sledding for county administrations that have traditionally tradition-ally been among the state's most conservative conserva-tive in parting with tax dollars. "Conservatism "Conser-vatism has penalized us. We would be in good shape, otherwise," Mr. Corbridge said, indicating any increases are based on previous taxing levels. Legally, the county could go to 16 mills a hefty jump-and might have gone to 12 this year had it not been for House Bill 104. And both the auditor and assessor say it is doubtful the 16 would ever be sought. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Davis County Budget CONTINUED FROM FRONT THE BILL stipulates the 106 percent ceiling only on odd years, meaning next year such a restriction won't come into play. But whatever is done that year must be figured in the next, an odd year. Added to that is the politics of it all, and 1982, for instance, is an election year. And in the meantime, the county's can't have a deficit that's against the law. TAXES ARE being figured on property differently, this year, as well. They're to be based on a factoring system instead of reapportionment, reap-portionment, supposedly aimed at finding a "common denominator." The county hasn't been reassessed since 1974, Mr. Corbridge said, although property proper-ty values have skyrocketed, meaning taxing tax-ing levels are probably only at about 55 percent of actual value. Such a change would likely mean a windfall if there were no legislative restraints. , "THE STATE and federal governments keep putting down to the counties (various responsibilities) but then they put limitations limita-tions on," Mrs. Gibbons said. "The state constantly pushes but won't give us any help-they want us to do more." The county receives "very little" sales tax revenue, she noted, a source some cities rely on heavily. And until changes are made in cutting up the taxing pie, where more is distributed based on population, the county will see little benefit, Mr. Corbridge Cor-bridge said. , "I FORECAST that (tax issue) will come back to the Legislature and get some consideration. con-sideration. It started at 50-50," he said, indicating there had been talk of total distribution distri-bution by population in years past. Faced with all of these hurdles, the county coun-ty may have to look at implementing various va-rious departmental fees for services ren- , dered. All in all, it will be nip and tuck before it's through. |