Mike Sylvia: Belknap County budget should be reduced

To The Daily Sun,

The Belknap County Board of Commissioners’ budget for 2021 proposes to raise property taxes by 12 percent. By way of comparison, many of the county’s senior citizens will be getting a 1.3 percent increase in their social security. The thought of such an increase after the past year should shock the conscience of a rational person.

The county’s executive committee has reviewed the budget in detail and has found a tremendous amount of bloat in the budget. Knowing that the county taxpayers have taken a beating in 2020, they have pared down the necessary increase in spending to 5.6 percent over the 2020 spending level. While this still exceeds inflation, large salary raises given last year are contractual obligations that must be honored.

You will be reading about this budget recommendation, written by those who feel taxation is for the good of the community, describing it as terribly harsh and heartless. While there are property owners in the county with ample means to absorb the sort of increases that the commissioners proposed, the executive committee understands that those who are on the margins of ‘getting by’ don’t need an additional push to force them into government dependence. They respect the dignity of individuals struggling to maintain their independence.

The 2020 county budget was $30,829,837. As we look at the year end figures, we see that ~$2.25 million remain unspent and that surplus will be put into unreserved fund balance. That fund balance, as it is called, is money held by the county to handle cash flow but is not appropriated for spending. At the end of 2020 the fund balance is a bit over $6,000,000 (20 percent of the annual budget). In the end, the amount needed to run county operations in 2020 was $28,579,837 ($30,829,837 minus $2.250,000).

The executive committee’s budget recommendation for 2021 appropriates $30,256,185, a 5.69 percent increase above the 2020 spending. It also gives back to the taxpayers half of the $6,000,000 fund balance which results in an 11 percent reduction in taxation. This leaves ample funds in the county coffer to accommodate any unexpected emergencies.

There will be cries that the tax rates should be kept stable, and in ordinary times that might hold sway, but 2020 was far from normal. In difficult times we need to assist those hit hard by government imposed lockdowns, and as the county has built up its reserves beyond their own policy, now is the time to give back.

On Tuesday, Jan. 26, the delegation will meet to consider the budget recommendation. You can rest assured that those seeking taxpayer dollars will be there asking for more. If you are one of those who needs a bit of relief from your tax burden, you should call your state representative and let them know how you feel.

Mike Sylvia

Belmont