The Clark County Council earlier this week accredited a 2025 price range that doesn’t increase property tax collections by the 1 p.c allowed by state regulation, which might have added about $1.8 million to the county’s coffers subsequent 12 months.
The council accredited a $871.74 million price range for 2025 by a 3-2 vote, with councilors Sue Marshall, Glen Yung and Karen Bowerman voting in favor and Gary Medvigy and Michelle Belkot voting towards. Whole income for 2025 is anticipated to be $713.27 million.
Emily Zwetzig, price range director for the county, stated the $158.44 million distinction between income and bills is primarily from the capital price range. The county will stability the books by tapping current fund balances, she stated.
The capital price range accounts for all the county’s main infrastructure plans, together with roads and parks.
Medvigy stated he couldn’t help the price range as a result of it didn’t embrace new employees for the sheriff’s workplace. County Supervisor Kathleen Otto stated the county merely doesn’t have the monetary assets obtainable to pay for any further employees.
Sheriff John Horch had requested for 4 help specialists, three help supervisors, a volunteer program coordinator, 12 deputies and one sergeant.
Otto warned the council that with out both new income sources or cuts in spending, the county is going through a major price range shortfall inside the subsequent 12 months.
“It’s very clear from the conversation that we are going to be facing some cuts next year, some considerable cuts,” Yung stated in an interview Wednesday. “There’s a lot of uncertainty, and I’m very disappointed that we have added to the problem by not electing to take the 1 percent (property tax) increase.”
A lot of the dialogue in the course of the price range hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday targeted on the final fund. Whole normal fund income is anticipated to be $198.1 million, whereas bills are forecasted to be $208.3 million.
“Since the council did not approve the 1 percent general fund property tax, the operating deficit is just over $12 million,” Otto stated. “The operating deficit is simply expenditures exceeding revenues. We were able to balance for 2025 by using one-time fund balance, as well as other strategic measures.”
Nevertheless, beginning in 2026, the county might want to discover an extra $10.4 million in further income or cut back bills with a purpose to stability the price range, Otto stated.
Despite the fact that the final fund solely represents about 25 p.c of the whole county price range, it contains roughly 70 p.c of all labor bills. The final fund additionally contains bills for the sheriff’s workplace, county jail, courts, public protection and juvenile courtroom packages. Otto stated 67.5 p.c of the final fund goes to public security bills.
How will the county make up that looming price range shortfall? Marshall stated the county will finally don’t have any selection however to ask taxpayers for extra money. Earlier than that may occur, Marshall stated the county has work to do.
“We need to be able to tell the public that we’ve made cuts, that we’ve tightened even tighter our belts, and this is our coordinated, best projection of what the need will be,” Marshall stated.
That work must be achieved in collaboration with the town of Vancouver, she added.
“We do have some big needs on the horizon, and I think I am optimistic that the new councilors coming in will be able to roll up their sleeves and help us figure this out,” Marshall stated.
If the county can show it’s achieved the arduous work obligatory, Marshall stated she would really feel extra assured that voters would approve a rise within the public security or psychological well being tax or a levy improve.
Moderately than ready till subsequent 12 months’s price range shows in October or November, Yung stated he desires the council to start out early. He stated he was assured that may occur.
“It’s going to be a hard year for sure, but we have good people that will work towards solving the problem,” he stated.