Last spring, nobody in Bartholomew County government thought they could escape some degree of financial pain in 2021.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, statewide gas tax revenues dropped by $8 million from March to April, which was expected to reduce funding for county roads and bridges. By mid-spring, some local manufacturers were engaging in temporary layoffs, while others trimmed salaries and hours. Both were expected to have a negative impact on local income tax revenue.
In May, members of the Bartholomew County Council were discussing the possibility of a hiring freeze and employee layoffs. And by the beginning of summer, a preliminary estimate from the Indiana Dept. of Local Government Finance indicated county government would receive $1.8 million less in income tax revenue next year.
But suddenly, revenue forecasts reversed course and the outlook began to look much better. In fact, enough money came in for the county council to approve a $54.3 million budget for 2021 — up from $51.6 million this year.
That was enough to acquire 57 body cameras and 54 car cameras this fall, as well as eight new cars next year for deputies on the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department. The cameras, as well as all necessary accessories like data storage, upgrades and warranties, will cost a total of $738,000 over the next five years.
At the county jail, one full-time addiction recovery specialist will be hired, as well as two part-time program workers. Most law enforcement officials say reducing the number of addicts will lower property crime in the Columbus area.
For the county’s over 400 employees, the upcoming year will bring a raise in take-home pay. Each full-time worker will earn an additional $1,500, while part-time employees will receive a 3% increase. Contract employees such at attorneys and public defenders will receive a 2% raise.
After a number of department heads requested salary hikes for their office managers, the council decided to raise the annual pay of all office managers to $44,975.
The only people who won’t get a raise are members of the county council members, who earn $8,870 a year.
So how did things turn around for the better? One significant factor was the property tax growth quotient, which is a formula used to calculate the annual growth in tax levies. The quotient increased by 4.2%, which will provide an additional $2.6 million for county government next year, county auditor Pia O’Connor said.
After Bartholomew County found itself eligible for reimbursements for COVID-related expenses through the federal CARES Act Provider Relief Fund, the amount of local funds set aside for handling the virus next year was reduced significantly, O’Connor said.
In addition, some of the largest area employers were able to restart their operations relatively quickly after mandated shutdowns last spring. That translates into more than $1.5 million in additional local income tax revenue than this year, O’Connor said.
A few other positive factors cited by O’Connor include better-than-expected amounts in the self-insured county’s healthcare, as well as the so-called Rainy Day funds.
Council members also approved a spending plan kept separate from all others every year. The Bartholomew County Solid Waste Management District will operate with a $4.64 million budget next year — up from $3.46 million for this year.
But the increase has long been expected. The district’s board of directors voted June 25 to budget $1,175,000 for construction costs. The board also announced that an additional $125,000 may be required to pay for related costs such as engineering, testing, laboratory costs, quality control and quality assurance.
