SOUTHWEST MERCER COUNTY Police budget lower than expected

Budget shortfalls were made up in several areas, including pay increases for the chief and sergeant detective.
FARRELL, Pa. -- The final version of the 2004 budget for the Southwest Mercer County Regional Police Department is $17,000 less than originally proposed.
James DeCapua, police commission chairman, said the budget was revised to reflect a lower operating assessment against the three member municipalities (Farrell, Wheatland and Sharpsville) and anticipated lower income from a miscellaneous revenue line item.
The original version of the budget came in at $1,249,000, an increase of $73,000 over the 2003 spending plan.
It anticipated a 5 percent increase in the municipal operating assessments which generate most of the revenue.
Farrell, the largest contributor, balked at the 5 percent figure, however. Officials there said they had planned on only a 4 percent increase.
Compromise
DeCapua said the two sides compromised at a 4.5 percent increase in the assessment, but that meant a $5,000 hole in the revenue side of the budget.
Further, the miscellaneous revenue line item showed $15,000 in anticipated income, but that number wasn't realistic, DeCapua said, noting that it was reduced by $12,000.
That left a budget with a $17,000 revenue shortfall.
The difference was made up by reducing the size of pay increases earmarked for the chief and sergeant detective, cutting the amount of money set aside for part-time officers, cutting overtime and making other minor changes to balance the spending plan at $1,232,000, DeCapua said.