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Ada County: Online budget priorities survey
Submitted by Cynthia Sewell on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 9:59am.
Ada County is taking a different approach to crafting next year’s budget.
In prior years the county commissioners would allocate each county department a set percentage increase.
Under the new model, the board will ask for the public’s help in prioritizing county services and then fund the services accordingly.
To accomplish this the county is conducting online survey through May 19 asking county residents to determine how much money they think should be allocated to specific programs and services.
“This new process will help us develop a new county budget that accurately reflects the values of Ada County residents,” Commissioner Rick Yzaguirre said. “The input we receive from this survey, and from public testimony given at our budget hearings, will help us better manage county resources.”
The county’s annual budget is nearly $200 million of which 44 percent is funded from property taxes. Other revenue sources include user fees, grants and payments from other agencies.
State law requires each county to provide the following services: Court system including public defender and juvenile court, landfill, coroner, law enforcement and paramedic, tax collection, land records, weed control, motor vehicle and driver licensing, property assessment, election, welfare, emergency management including 911. And the following elected positions: Commissioners, assessor, clerk of the court, coroner, prosecutor, sheriff, treasurer.
What’s next
May 19: Deadline to complete online budget survey.
May 19: County departments submit budget requests.
July 22: County commissioners set tentative budget.
August 26: Budget public presentation, 5 to 6 p.m., main floor hearing room, Ada County Courthouse, 200 W. Front St.
Sept. 2: Budget hearing, 9a.m., Commissioners’ conference room, third floor, Ada County Courthouse, 3rd Floor
Sept. 8: Commissioners approve budget and set levies.
Ada County residents can mail written budget comments to the Board of County Commissioners, 200 W. Front St., Boise, Idaho 83702 or e-mail to bocc1@adaweb.net.
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Who has a clue?
Give me a break. Government leaders spend months working on their budgets so why would a citizen who, more than likely, spent 10 minutes sizing up the $150 million county budget know where to put it? Now, if they're looking at priorities then citizens can have valuable input, but most government leaders already know what the priorities are. Maybe this is an election year effort at "we want to show you that we really care."
Send flowers.
Survey? Flawed at best...
Good point about election year and also about how much time a 'citizen' has to work on the budget and the fact that the elected official SHOULD know what the priorities are. Consolidation of services could be a huge benefit to taxpayers. It seems Ulman is the only one running that understands you don't have to eliminate anything (like parks maybe?) that you just need to better manage it. Why duplicate so much administration? This was demonstrated in reverse by setting up a new college rather than expanding class offerings. As the city takes up more of the county, why is there not a REAL effort to consolidate services? How many administrations should the average taxpayer be asked to support? How many layers of government do we really need?