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FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Contact:
Don
Krupp,
Thurston
County
Manager, 360-786-5440
Public
Invited to Comment on Thurston County 2010 Budget
OLYMPIA
– Thurston County
Commissioners on Monday will hold a public hearing on the spending plan for
2010. The overall budget for next
year is down about 17% from 2009 levels at $317.1- Million.
County manager Don Krupp says earlier rounds of cuts have meant no
wholesale reductions were needed for the 2010 budget.
“
County
Commissioners
have been trimming back the budget for years now to account for the limit of
1% per year on property tax increases, which does not allow us to keep up with
inflation and an increasing population. We
have cut more than 12% of county employee positions and $7- Million from the
county’s General Fund.”
Krupp says the recession, which hit the county hard, has
flattened out a bit, but he still has words of caution.
“That does not mean that county government has recovered in any
significant way. We are still
dealing with a terrible revenue situation and an increasing demand for
programs and services. Even if the
economy fully recovers, county government will still be in a revenue bind for
the foreseeable future.”
The public hearing will be held at 5:30 the evening of Monday,
December 7th in Room
152 of Building One of the Thurston County Courthouse. Between now and the
hearing,
Thurston
County
residents can also submit comments by mail to-
Board of
County
Commissioners
Thurston
County
Courthouse
2000 Lakeridge Drive, SW
Olympia
,
WA
98502
Those
wanting to comment can also call (360) 786-5440 or fax to (360) 754-4104 or
send them by email to: tcbocc@co.thurston.wa.us
Budget materials can be viewed on line at: www.co.thurston.wa.us
Look for the “Budget Information” button on the opening page of the
web site.
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