COUNTY GOVERNMENT Trumbull offices have to make do with flat budget

The convention and visitors bureau lost a director's post.
By STEPHEN SIFF
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Trumbull County government offices are being told to spend about the same amount of money in 2002 as they did in 2001.
The annual budget appropriations passed by county commissioners Tuesday are based strictly on 2001 expenditures and payroll, said Commissioner Michael O'Brien.
"There is not growth," he said. "We are trying to do more with less."
According to revenue estimates prepared by the county auditor's office, the commissioners will have $37.9 million to spend from the county's general fund this year, compared with $3.76 million in 2001.
Increase offset: This modest increase is offset, however, by a change in the billing schedule for the Public Employees Retirement System, the pension plan for county workers. The change will result in a $579,000 expense on the county's 2002 books, O'Brien said.
To cope with the flat budget, commissioners have reduced appropriations for office supplies by 20 percent and for travel by 50 percent across the board.
Wages of county workers will continue to rise, according to the rates agreed to during contract negotiations with several unions.
"You must live with the appropriations allocated to you," the commissioners wrote in a letter sent Tuesday to elected officials and department heads. "In order to avoid layoffs, we chose to approve this year's budget at 2001 expenditure levels. No transfers will be made to compensate for 'over' expenditures."
Department heads and elected officials had anticipated that there would be no more money available. During January budget hearings, none asked to have appropriations increased this year, O'Brien said.
General fund: County commissioners were able to maintain the size of the general fund this year, despite projected decreases in sales and property tax collection, by withdrawing $5 million of the proceeds of the sale of Hillside Hospital in 1998, O'Brien said.
The withdrawal leaves a few million dollars left in that account, he said.
The practice of accepting competitive bids for office supplies, instituted by the county within the last year, should allow departments to spend 20 percent less on those items, O'Brien said.
As well, the commissioners will direct department heads to spend money out of special funds, such as the sheriff's furtherance of justice fund or the court's computer fund, rather than come to the commissioners for more money, he said.
The commissioners' decision to appropriate money for 2002 salaries based on current payroll figures will have the most pronounced impact on the Trumbull County Convention and Visitors Bureau, which has been without a director for more than a year.
Commissioners did not authorize the bureau to spend money in 2002 for a director's benefits or salary, which had been $46,000 a year.
The bureau now operates with two paid employees: an office manager, who makes $27,100 a year, and a sales manager, who makes $37,200.
Hotel tax: Money for the convention and visitors bureau does not come out of the county's general fund. Rather, it is raised by a 2.5 percent tax on hotel rooms, which raises about $349,000 a year.
Money from the room tax cannot be spent by other departments. But the convention and visitors bureau can spend it only with commissioners' approval.
In 2002, the bureau only got permission to spend $217,000 of the money it collects.
The commissioners also cut the convention and visitors bureau's annual contribution for promoting events at Cafaro Field and to the Ladies Professional Golf Association.
The contributions had been $50,000 a year for Cafaro Field and $27,500 a year for LPGA. This year, they were cut to $35,000 for Cafaro Field and $15,000 for LPGA.
siff@vindy.com