Mattos on budgeting
question:
If county revenues decline, how should the county balance its budget? Would you cut services? If so, which ones? Would you raise taxes, fees or charges? If so, which ones?answer:
County finances should first be closely examined to determine the reason for the decline. Cutting the budget of certain departments that the county uses to collect revenue (i.e. Assessor/Recorder or Planning could actually make the problem worse. Generally speaking hiring freezes, deferred purchases of new equipment, dipping into reserve funds or figuring out a new cheaper way of providing required services are the preferred methods of getting through tough budget times. Raising taxes or fees should always be looked at as a last resort and never the preferable option.
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