CLEVELAND — It's like dirty words none of the White County Commissioners wants to say, but the county could be on the verge of raising its portion of the tax millage rate to meet funding demands.
During Monday's commission meeting, County Manager Mike Melton presented the latest proposed budget figures for the county for next year, projecting that revenue would be at least $800,000 short.
The commissioners spent several minutes discussing ways to meet that shortfall without dipping into a three-month reserve fund they feel they need to maintain.
The past few years commissioners have had some extra reserve funds they could pull from, but this year those extra funds are not there.
County property assessments have edged up slightly, but not enough to fill the shortfall need.
Commission Chairman Travis Turner said if commissioners do have to raise taxes, they can be proud of holding the line for the past seven years.
"This board has busted its rear end year after year — staff, department heads, constitutional officers," Turner said. "We have cut, we have cut salaries several years ago, we’ve got positions we didn’t refill. In the last seven years we are the only elected body in this county that has not raised the millage rate at all."
Commissioners will continue to look at possible ways to find extra funding.
A called commission meeting will be held next Monday to discuss the budget issues and commissioners say they hope they will not have to say the words "tax millage rate increase."
