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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
November 15, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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November 15, 2012
 
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milli in By NATALIE JOHNSON The Mason County Board of Commissioners is mull- ing over tough decisions this week, including whether or not to ask for 8 percent across-the-board cuts to bal- ance the county's 2013 bud- get. Less than a month before the budget needs to be adopt- ed, it still has a $1.9 million shortfall. The board of com- missioners met Tuesday to discuss options for balancing the budget. 'Tee have to look at that imbalance and pare it down," Commissioner Tim Shel- don said. ~ "I don't think vot- ers want their taxes increased in a reces- sion." Sheldon proposed Tim asking all Sheldon d e p a r t - ment heads and elected officials to cut their budgets by 8 percent. "I'll put the option on the table that we do across-the- board reductions," he said. Commissioner Steve Bloomfield said an 8 percent reduction seemed "reason- able," adding that he will not be in office at the time of the vote. Commissioner-elect Terri Jeffreys will take of- fice in the unexpired term on Nov. 27. Commissioner Lynda Ring Erickson agreed that an 8 percent reduction would bal- ance the budget, but asked the commission to look at other options before voting for the cuts. Mason County Auditor Karen Herr spoke out against the 8 percent cut, calling it "unfair." "I feel that is probably the worst way to balance a bud- get," she said. i!iii !i iiiii!i!i!!ii Lynda Ring Eriekson Steve Bloomfield In June, the com- mission asked de- partment heads and elected of- ficials to draft sta- tus quo budgets for 2013, or bud- gets that matched June 2012 levels. The budgets could take into ac- count regu- lar or nego- tiated sal- ary increas- es, and increases to the 2012 budgets ap- proved before June. Those increases account for the $1.9 million shortfall. The commission also re- ceived $1.4 million of supple- mental budget requests for 2013, $57,000 of which the commission has approved Sheldon said. "I think it would be very difficult to approve anything not knowing what will be re- turned (in the carryover)," he said. Sheldon said uncertainty about a Thurston County Superior Court decision last summer regarding a com- plaint from the Teamsters Local 252 also makes it more difficult to deal with the shortfall. This summer, a Thurston County judge upheld a three- year-old complaint from the Teamsters, alleging that the county commission had engaged in unfair bargain- ing practices when it voted against a proposed contract with the group just after the beginning of the global reces- sion in 2008. The commission is current- ly in mediation with the group with the goal of finding a mu- tually agreeable settlement, increase the budget shortfall, rely on the money to balance rich said. That settlement, Crick- In the past, the year-end the 2013 budget. The commission agreed to son said, could wipe out any budget carryover, or leftover If the carryover does reach meet at 10 a.m. today to dis- funds left over from the 2012 money, has been used to cov- $2 million, Erich has pre- cuss more options for decreas- budget, er shortfalls. While the car- dicted a $6.9 million ending ing the shortfall. The board is "It could eliminate the car- ryover from the 2012 budget fund balance for 2012. The scheduled to vote on the bud- ryover and then some," she could be as high as $2 mil- county needs to have enough get by Dec. 3, and in order to said. lion, Chief Finance Manager money in the fund balance to have two weeks of public com- The settlement could also Theresia Ehrich said, it could operate for two months. Each ment before that meeting, the mean increased salaries for also be as low as $1.2 million, month, the county expends budget needs to be printed many employees, which could meaning the county cannot $2 million to $3 million, Eh- and published on Friday. The end of the year is fast approaching... Don't miss out on using your valuable dental benefits! With the busy holiday season upon us, it's easy to overlook that many insurance plans have dental benefits that expire at the end of the year and are lost if left unused. Our team is happy to help you figure out what benefits you have left and how you can best maximize them to take care of any of your existing dental needs. Steven H. Bowers, DDS, PS Cosmetic & Family Dentistry 717 W. Railroad Ave, Shelton We Offer: Evening Appointments Nitrous Oxide Financing Options Extensive T~eatment Choices Exceptional Quality • m i i i i i for the November 2 will be . (Deadline for other issues will still be Mondays at 5:00 p.m.-- but the Journal will be closed November 22 & 23, 2012) I S helton-Mason County 227 W. Cota St. • 426-4412 www, masoncounty, com Advertising builds brand recognition J S Purchased for other reasons Made purchase decision based on strength of brand Purchased based on ii?compromise i between brand and price ' iii Bought based on price alone The source of this graphic and its information is The Economist quoting a Milward Brown survey of more than 6,000 consumers on their purchase decisions in 33 categories of goods and services and more than 500 brands, Shelton-Mason County Call us today at 360-426-4412 or stop in our offices at 227 West Cota in Shelton Shelton-Mason County Journal- Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 - Page A-5