Last edited on Wed May 14th, 2008 09:19 pm by Bambi

 By Angela De Welles -  Independent Newspapers

As Pinal County heads into the 2008-09 fiscal year, officials are facing the realities of a tough eco­nomic outlook.
  “ We are projecting it’s going to be a lean budget year,” Pinal County spokeswoman Heather Murphy said.
  County Manager Terry Doolit­tle agrees.
  Actions were taken this year to help cut back, he said. More mea­sures are being looked at now as the county works to finalize the budget by the end of June.
  “In the current year’s budget  the board took several actions, in­cluding a 2 percent (cut to depart­mental budgets),” Mr. Doolittle said.
  The county Board of Supervi­sors also approved a 180-day hiring delay, according to Mr. Doolittle.
  “In addition several capital projects were suspended in the current fiscal year,” he said.
  Money that was set aside for a new county administrative fa­cility had to be used to address the county’s $13 million revenue shortfall.
  That shortfall will rollover to the upcoming fiscal year and Mr. Doolittle said all departments are being asked to cut back.
  “ We’re currently going through meetings with various depart­ments and elected offices. We have requested those areas submit both a 5 percent and a 10 percent reduction from their current bud­get,” Mr. Doolittle.
  Those budget scenarios will be considered and will be used to cre­ate a tentative budget that will be presented to the board of supervi­sors June 18. In July the final budget will be presented and considered by the board for final approval.
  Both presentations are public hearings, which will play a part in the creation of a budget, Mr. Doolittle said.
  “Public input is an ongoing process throughout the year,” he said.
  The county, along with most other local governing bodies, is seeing a decrease in building per­mits, leading to lower revenues, but Mr. Doolittle is hopeful and says it does not seem resident fees will need to increase.
  “At this time we’re not look­ing at any fee increases,” he said. “ These downturns run in cycles. We believe through the necessary cutbacks we’ll be able to not look at increasing any fees.”
  Some of those cutbacks Mr. Doolittle is recommending include no cost of living adjustments for employees and not filling vacant positions.
  “As building inspectors have left, we have not filled those posi­tions,” said Mr. Doolittle said, add­ing there are currently 15-20 vacant positions in the county’s develop­ment services department. Mr. Doolittle believes layoffs will not be necessary.
  Capital improvement projects throughout the county will be re­stricted to only what is critical, Mr. Doolittle said.
  He did note improvements to Hunt Highway will not be im­pacted.
  “ The expansion of Hunt High­way is still on schedule,” he said.
  Much of the county’s budget will depend on the state’s final budget, Mr. Doolittle said. How­ever, it is known where costs will increase.
  The county’s contributions for the Arizona Health Care Cost Con­tainment System and long-term care will increase $3 million over last year.
  “ We also know we have an increase in the public safety retire­ment system, along with the cor­rectional officer retirement pro­gram,” he said. Ms. Murphy said the cuts will not affect services.
  “ We have to keep pace with the growth pressures that we face,” she said.
  Even though the housing mar­ket has slowed, the county is still seeing retail and some residential growth and has to be ready for more growth.