Barnstable County Commissioners Face Decisions to Make Up Shortfall

BARNSTABLE – The Barnstable County Commission faces a tough decision moving forward as more than $2 million has to be reduced from last year’s county budget.

That decision is whether the county should implement a tax increase or lay off employees.

The shortfall was created by the county approving proposed capital projects in the past, but when it came to funding, they were not put out for bonding.

Some of those projects were approved up to five years ago, but bonding agencies would not bond any projects older than three years.

Now county officials have to find a way to pay for it.

“It’s not that we don’t have the money, we need money in reserves,” said Commissioners Chair Mary Pat Flynn. “Every government has money in reserves to keep going. It’s just the prudent thing to do.”

The proposed $27.7 million fiscal year 2017 budget was sent to the commissioners this week by director of finance Mary McIssac.

That budget includes a decrease in department expenditures, but a 36 percent increase in the Registry of Deeds excise tax.

That increase would hike the tax for recording a property sale to $6.48 per thousand dollars of value, but would have to be approved by the county Assembly of Delegates.

Flynn has suggested that the county eliminate health insurance benefits to its elected officials as a means of cutting expenses, which would save $162,000 a year.

She has also asked the county to look at reducing employee health benefits contributions.

County departments have been asked to cut back on services and programs to help reduce the budget.

“The departments, while they don’t like the idea necessarily of having to reduce their budgets, they’re all understanding and have agreed to do that,” said Flynn.

The commissioners are set to meet again this morning at 10 a.m. to discuss the reallocation of available funds and talk more about the budget.

Flynn added that Commissioner Leo Cakounes will bring forward his own budget at the meeting that will not include the increase in the deeds excise tax rate, but will instead roll back $2 million in the county budget.

By JUSTIN SAUNDERS, CapeCod.com Newscenter