Bare-bones budget for Hennepin County

Article by: KEVIN DUCHSCHERE , Star Tribune
Updated: September 27, 2009 - 11:24 PM

Much of the county's spending would remain flat, but next year's budget would still grow 3 percent to cover rising medical costs.

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A budget apparently devoid of bells and whistles will be delivered to Hennepin County commissioners on Tuesday, when County Administrator Richard Johnson presents his 2010 proposal and kicks off the board's three-month budget deliberation process.

Dave Lawless, the county's finance director, said that the recommended budget will be 3 percent bigger than this year's, coming in under the maximum property tax levy increase of 4.95 percent approved by the board earlier this month.

Commissioners will hold several hearings and meetings to amend the $1.7 billion budget before finalizing it, along with the levy, on Dec. 15.

The county's proposed budget "is fairly austere," Lawless said. "Everyone's having difficult times, and we're trying to do the best we can under the circumstances."

It has been a year of fiscal discipline for Hennepin County, which imposed a hiring freeze and asked employees to take voluntary time off without pay to help make ends meet. Workers pitched in, committing by mid-summer to more than 100,000 unpaid hours at a savings to the county of nearly $4 million.

For next year's budget, Johnson is proposing no increase in departmental spending. The 3 percent hike would partly cover the amount the county must absorb to treat the poor and uninsured at Hennepin County Medical Center, an expense that's expected to rise due to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto last spring of the state's health care program for impoverished adults.

Most departments would see a dip in spending, Lawless said. The contingency budget, to cover unanticipated needs, would be smaller. And 160 positions would be eliminated, many through attrition, he said.

Nevertheless, it may be tough for the board to keep the levy increase at 3 percent, at least partly because the county expects to have more problems collecting property taxes due to economic conditions.

Kevin Duchschere • 612-673-4455

2010 BUDGET PRESENTED

What: Budget and Capital Investment Committee

Where: Room A-2400, Hennepin County Government Center

When: 1:30 p.m. Tuesday