Davis plans for leaner budget year

FARMINGTON — Waning sales-tax revenues are forcing Davis County to tighten its normal operating budget by nearly $2 million for 2010.

Davis County commissioners gave preliminary support Tuesday to the county's proposed budget of $92.8 million, down from 2009's budget of $94.4 million.

Officials blame the shrinking sales-tax revenue on the economic downturn, but they are also taking advantage of lower construction costs to undertake a number of big-ticket projects in the county.

The operating budget doesn't include $34.2 million in major construction projects the county plans to undertake.

Among those projects is the construction of a new headquarters library, a health building, a senior center and various flood projects.

And the county will be completing the projects without a tax increase.

"Because of the conservative nature and how we are operating, the county is poised to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves," Commissioner Bret Millburn said.

That means saving for the future and starting construction projects when prices are low. That will allow the county to save money while helping to put people to work in Davis County, Millburn said.

Davis County Library director Chris Sanford said her department has been saving to build a new headquarters library since construction was completed on the Centerville Branch in 2006. It's a similar story with the health building.

Davis County has issued $27 million in flood bonds, using revenue from a 2006 property-tax increase as collateral. The flood projects will go a long way toward protecting residents who live near the county's flood channels, said Steve Rawlings, Davis County clerk/auditor.

But the tighter budgeting is also due to conservative budget requests from county department heads, Rawlings said.

"We asked our departments to hold the line on expenditures," he said.

The county's elected officials made a similar request in preparing the current budget.

"They're doing what they can to help us in that regard," Rawlings said.

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Davis County 2010 budget highlights

Total budget: $92.8 million

Property tax increase: None

Employees: No change

Employee raises: No cost-of-living increase

Public hearing: 6 p.m. Dec. 8, Farmington Junior High School, 150 S. 200 West