$1.8M balance credited to frugal cooperation

The extra money won't bring back cut services.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County ended 2005 with at least a recent record-breaking balance of $1.8 million.
"This is good news for Columbiana County," said county Auditor Nancy Milliken.
The county commissioners had hoped for a balance of about $1.4 million.
Milliken said the $1.8 million is "the largest cash carry-over I've ever seen." She has worked for the county since 1991.
For comparison, the county ended 2003 with $272,869, and ended 2004 with $482,596.
Milliken credited the high balance to cooperation among county officials to keep spending down.
"We can do great things when we cooperate," she added.Voters in 2005 approved a 1 percent sales tax but rejected an additional 0.5 percent tax.
The 0.5 percent brought in about $4 million a year. The $1.8 million will go a long way toward plugging the hole in the 2006 budget, Milliken said.
Before the votes, "We foresaw we would not get the one or the half-percent sales tax," Milliken said.
County officials, she said, kept a close watch on spending last year, which is why the county has the $1.8 million.
Milliken said, "It's a great carry-over, but we're going to need it without the [extra half-percent] sales tax."
The commissioners have said the county can squeak through 2006 without the 0.5 percent sales tax. Even if voters approve the tax in the May primary, the county won't see any revenue until 2007.
Milliken said the county needs an $18 million or $19 million budget to govern properly.
No programs returning
The large balance won't allow the return of programs that were cut this year, such as the county Cooperative Extension Service, she said.
The commissioners appropriated $4 million for the first quarter of this year.
Milliken and Jim Hoppel, the chairman of the commissioners, said they will look ahead to see revenue trends before making financial decisions.
Hoppel said the 1 percent sales tax receipts for the first three months of this year should give county officials an idea of revenue for the remainder of the year.
The first-quarter appropriations did not include funding for some required programs. Hoppel said the commissioners will wait until the 2006 revenue picture is clearer in the second quarter before considering funding for those programs.
Hoppel said that financially, the commissioners, "are playing it very close. We've been very responsible with these tax dollars."
wilkinson@vindy.com