Madison County Board Chairman applauded $2.15million in county budget cuts in the Finance Committee meeting last Friday. Democrats clapped hands and gave high-fives for a supposed budget savings. Problem is there cuts contain $2.06million in LIHEAP cuts that will put low income families and seniors out in the cold.
These cuts are federal and state grants that do not affect property taxes and are either received or not. They don’t affect the county’s General Fund. Grants should not be included in budget performance figures.
In that meeting the Chairman acknowledged the county had a budget surplus. “What is wrong with a surplus? What is wrong with a little surplus?” The problem is that surplus has turned into $30million+ in county funds that are unassigned.
Madison County Treasurer Kurt Prenzler wants that money back in the hands of taxpayers and for the county’s property tax levy to be reduced by 10%.
Read more here…
https://thetelegraph.com/news/72744/prenzler-dunstan-continue-war-of-words
http://www.riverbender.com/articles/details/prenzler-madison-county-budget-cuts-deceptive-9556.cfm
http://advantagenews.com/news/budget-debate-stirs-political-pot/