Why loss of county revenue is cause for concern

I just would like to offer a brief rebuttal to some of the comments that are being floated out there with regard to my concern for the Jefferson County budget and the $3 million loss of revenue. Some have described my concerns to this issue as claiming the sky is falling or that I'm pushing the panic button. While I may consider that a bit extreme in reflecting my concerns, I will accept them.

Although, the most intriguing that I hear frequently is our self-proclamation of being conservatives.

I will share a couple of observations regarding the trend in revenue to the county from the period of 1999 to 2009 where the majority of the board has served 60 percent to 80 percent of that time frame.

The property tax levy in 1999 was $26,917,921 and currently the levy is $44,340,006, which is a growth rate of 5.12 percent compounded annually. The rate of growth easily outpaces a reasonable growth rate around the Consumer Price Index, which if you use 3 percent then the levy would currently be $36,175,435.

The sales tax revenue during the same period was $12,766,798 in 1999 compared to roughly $30 million today, which is a growth rate of 8.92 percent compounded annually compared to again a reasonable index of 3 percent that would put the sales tax revenue at $17,157,509.

Combined, the revenue has grown at a rate of 6.48 percent compounded annually, which is double the rate of inflation.

Having said all that, it can be debated where this scenario stands on a scale of labels between conservative and liberal. I would conclude we could be more conservative and that we cannot raise revenues as liberally as this illustrates without either spending in the same fashion or overtaxing.

Hence, that is why I am concerned regarding the loss of $3 million in revenue from this year's budget and the relevance that amount of money has to our budget, and I will remain concerned about the loss of revenue regardless of any comments. The ensuing discussion proved beneficial, it cleared up several budgetary items that would normally encumber the subsequent year's budget and provided justification for a levy increase; and it put us in a better position to deliver a responsible budget to the taxpayers of this county.

If the administration presents a sound fiscal budget that controls spending, then I commend them for exercising fiscal constraint and our constituents have been better served as a result of this debate. If not, and they present a budget that provides for a substantial levy increase that results in a property tax rate increase, well, then the issue speaks for itself.

I am comfortable in the position that I continue to advocate for and with the resulting transparency in the process.

Scott A. Gray is a Jefferson County legislator.