Cautious optimism over budget for James City County - vagazette.com

JAMES CITY?

Despite a slow fiscal recovery and looming national doubts, James City County's financial forecast for next year remains strong.Finance officials updated the Board of Supervisors Saturday morning about what to expect on the national, state and local levels before the spring budget season.

- Despite a slow fiscal recovery and looming national doubts, the county's financial forecast for next year remains strong.

Finance officials updated the Board of Supervisors Saturday morning about what to expect on the national, state and local levels before the spring budget season.

"We are in a pretty good place," County Administrator Robert Middaugh told the supervisors. Consumer-driven revenues, such as sales, meals and lodging taxes, continue to beat projections, but he is suggesting budgeting them level to be conservative. He anticipates an overall budget of $170.9 million.

Middaugh has programmed a 3-percent raise for county employees and said Saturday he expects WJC Schools to also plan a 3-percent raise in its budget request, not the 2.5 percent forecast in November. Each percentage point for the schools is expected to cost $725,800, which is not currently programmed.

Middaugh made no mention of tax increases, though a number of challenges remain as he begins to plan for the next fiscal year. While the estimates of dealing with stormwater have come down from "the tens of millions" to the "millions," he said the county will be held responsible by state and federal agencies for both the facilities it owns as well as for monitoring private facilities.

Federal health care reform is expected to cost the county an additional $81,000 if it foots the bill of increases for employees. A new Virginia Retirement System plan could also affect the county if it has to pick up the cost of employees' short- and long-term disability.

In transportation, Middaugh warned that VDOT is trending toward relying on a 50-50 revenue sharing program to pay for work on secondary roads, which are predominant across the county. The program uses half state funds and half local funds. "We are going to be in the road business," Middaugh predicted. "I guarantee you."

Middaugh suggested the supervisors consider dedicating a new revenue source to fund the program, perhaps by reinstating the vehicle registration fee. The supervisors declined, universally agreeing not to adopt a new, instead tapping General Fund revenues for roads fixes.

Middaugh also cautioned that new WJC Schools capital funding requests are likely, including increased security measures in school buildings and the costs of reconverting James Blair back to a middle school and finding new central office space.

The supervisors asked Middaugh and his staff for more information before formal budget deliberations begin in the spring. Specifically, they asked for estimates on the cost of James Blair and a central office, what memberships in outside organizations the county is currently carrying, how much employee health care costs will rise as an average percent of employee pay, and more detailed information about business changes in the county and their taxes.

Source: http://www.vagazette.com/news/va-vg-jcc-budget-retreat-0126-20130126,0,1986663.story

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