Canyon County Commissioners Tuesday approved the Fiscal Year 2010 budget of $69,289,929; a decrease of over $10 million from the previous year’s budget, and includes $1.6 million in grant revenue.
 
In decreasing the county’s expenses, commissioners are also requesting $1.34 million less in tax dollars in the upcoming fiscal year than they did in the current year’s budget, and are requesting $3.4 million less than is available to the county.
 
“Just look at the differences between this year and last year. The county is working hard to save the taxpayers’ money, and it shows in these numbers,” Commissioner Kathy Alder said.
 
Included in the budget is the restoration of employee pay, which had been cut 2.5 percent in March to make up for predicted budget shortfalls in the FY09 budget year, as well as an additional $70 per month per employee being added to the county’s portion of health insurance premiums.
 
Some of the largest expenditures in the budget will be paid by means other than property taxes, including $3.55 million for a digital trunked radio system for Emergency Communications and $1.2 million for heavy equipment at the landfill. Large items that will be paid with tax dollars are $2 million for the Public Defender’s office and $1 million into charity care for involuntary commitments. Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office received $216,000 in grant funding for new vehicles for the department.
 
“This budget represents $15 million in cuts over the last two years,” Commission Chair David Ferdinand said. “The county’s Elected Officials and Department Heads have worked hard to pare their budgets down to manageable size, and county staff is working harder than ever to serve the needs of the citizens with fewer people and less funding.”
 
While the county’s levy rate will increase 10.2 percent, the rate is still less than it was in 2005 and 2006. A total of $36.6 million will come to the county from property taxes.