County’s proposed 2007 budget goes on review

The draft may be viewed at the Greene County Budget Office, 933 N. Robberson.

Meanwhile, the Greene County Commission is conducting hearings for the budget through mid-November.

The commission is calling for a $113 million budget, a 4.8 percent, or $5.2 million, increase from last year.

The increase would be funded partly by an estimated 7 percent, or $2.6 million, growth in sales tax revenue next year. Other new revenue would include $1 million from a U.S. Department of Justice grant for renovation of the county’s law enforcement computer systems and $750,000 from the Springfield-Greene County Park Tax increase approved by voters in August.

The proposed budget also includes $39 million for Greene County general revenue, $24 million for the county’s road and bridge fund and $7.8 million for the Greene County Jail.

The remaining funds go to projects not directly administered by the county, including $11.9 million for area parks, $11.1 million for the Springfield-Greene County Library District, $8 million from Law Enforcement Sales Tax funds distributed to various city police departments, $4.3 million for the Springfield-Greene County E-911 Fund, and $2 million for the Greene County Sheltered Workshop.

The commission expects to budget $1.2 million of general revenue for a 4 percent cost-of-living salary increase for county employees, effective Jan. 1, as well as a merit-based step increase on July 1. County employees were given a 2 percent raise in 2006, and the last step increase was in 2003.

The county also expects to absorb a $2.1 million shortfall in its E-911 fund, which has lost revenue from its service charges to land-line customers. The cities of Springfield and Republic also will absorb the shortfall.