Allen County commissioners remain baffled by revenue shortfalls that are plaguing the county’s budget as year end nears.
Commission Chairman Dick Works said predicted general fund expenses for the rest of the year stood at $1.5 million, but cash in hand was about $1 million.
Bill King, director of Public Works, said his budget — it’s not part of the general fund — also was short of expectations by about $600,000, “but I’ll get by.”
To date, commissioners say they have been unable to find why the discrepancy between budgeted revenue and expenses exist.
Works said the immediate task is to “find ways to reduce expenses, hold spending to a minimum until the end of the year.”
The county’s economic outlook is made more bleak by anticipation of $250,000 in cash carryover to fund the 2013 general fund.
The call for parsimony was made in light of Kansas’ cash-basis law. Simply put, a governing body at any level can not spend money it doesn’t have.
County Treasurer Sharon Utley said tax collections were down a bit, but collection of delinquent taxes “have picked up a little.” She, too, is uncertain what has caused the shortfall.
Works promised to find the reason for lagging revenue.
County coffers $1.1 million short
