NEWPORT — The Sullivan County delegation of state representatives approved a $33 million budget for the fiscal year beginning Monday, after reducing the amount to be raised by taxes by about 6 percent.
County Manager Derek Ferland said the budget now requires $13.6 million in taxes, an increase of 2.5 percent from the current year.
The actual tax impact and tax rate will differ for each of the county’s 15 municipalities and will also depend on any changes in assessed valuation.
The delegation voted 12-0 in support of the budget after lowering the tax impact by taking more money — $674,000 — from the county’s undesignated fund balance, Ferland said.
“Overall I am pleased with the process,” Ferland said. “I like the way the county and delegation worked together. The commissioners came in with an 8 percent increase (in the amount to be raised by taxes) and the executive finance committee (of state representatives) got it down to 2.5 percent.”
Regarding the budget, Ferland said there were no big items this year and most of the increases were for standard operating expenses.
“There were no decisions that will hurt us in the future; we did not do anything rash to mortgage our future,” he said.
The budget down slightly from this year because of a decrease in capital spending but less is being used from fund balance to offset the tax increase
Last year, the county budgeted $1,000,000 in design work for renovations to two buildings at the county complex in Unity. That money came from the county’s fund balance. There was another $600,000 in other capital projects.
This year there is only $419,000 in the budget for eight different capital projects, Ferland said.
There is also $500,000 set aside as the county pursues efforts to open a transitional housing facility for drug offenders who have completed their sentences and drug treatment programs and are reintegrating into society. Two locations identified in Claremont were later abandoned and currently the county is developing renovations cost for the building at 19 Sullivan St., just off Opera House Square.
Ferland also said the county has received $2.8 million, the same as last year, in “proshare” money from the federal government. Proshare helps “better match” the Medicaid expenses at the county nursing home, Ferland said. The county gets to keep about half of that with the other half going to the state for is “integrated delivery networks,” which look to provide more efficient and cost effective care for Medicaid recipients by helping them seek care before their medical problem results in a costly emergency room visit.
