Larimer budget proposal less than this year's spending

Larimer County manager Frank Lancaster has given the commissioners a proposed budget of just over $290 million for 2010.

The draft budget is 1.8 percent less than the one adopted by the county commissioners for 2009. County budgets increase throughout the year, however, as departments find additional sources of revenue such as state and federal grants. At this time, the draft budget is 8.7 percent less than what the county anticipates spending by the end of this year. This year's revised budget is $317.8 million.

Larimer County will not dip into general fund reserves for next year's budget, although several county special funds will use portions of their reserves to meet their 2010 budgets.

County officials said they are expecting an even more challenging revenue picture in 2011-2012 because property assessments are expected to decline. Consequently, they said, it's critical to preserve general fund reserves now.

To prepare for lesser tax income in the future, county commissioners have directed managers of lower-priority services to reduce their dependency on local property taxes by as much as 6 percent. High-priority services were also directed to reduce, but not as significantly. Services with increased user-fee revenue or with more state or federal funding were able to propose larger budget increases as long as the share of property tax met the county commissioners' guidelines.

Copies of the 2010 proposed budget are available at the Larimer County Budget Office, 200 W. Oak St. in Fort Collins and from budget director Bob Keister at 498-7017. Copies are also available at local public libraries and online at www.larimer.org/budget/2010budget.

The commissioners have scheduled two public, televised hearings on the proposed budget.

The first hearing will be held on Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Larimer County Courthouse Offices Building, first floor, 200 W. Oak St., in Fort Collins. It will be televised on Fort Collins Cable Channel 14 and on Channel 45 for LaPorte and Wellington. Viewers are invited to call 498-7016 with their questions or comments.

A second hearing will be held in Estes Park on Nov. 19 at 6:30 p.m.

Citizens may also comment on the proposed budget by e-mail to BOCC@larimer.org or by postal mail to the County Commissioners, P.O. Box 1190, Fort Collins CO 80522.

Additional documents available online at www.larimer.org/budget/2010budget are the budget overview in brief, highlights from the county manager, budget highlights (28 pages), budget detail (short, 138 pages), budget detail (long, 243 pages), charts showing sources and uses of funds, and an example of a homeowner's county property taxes.

A hearing to adopt the 2010 budget is set for Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. in the Courthouse Offices Building in Fort Collins.