WASHOE COUNTY NEWS RELEASE
A budget survey is being launched on the Washoe County website allowing citizens to give their feedback on preparations of the final adopted FY 2012/13 budget over the next few weeks.
The survey lists more than a dozen services provided by Washoe County that are mainly supported by sales and property taxes with a dollar amount representing the budget currently allotted to each service, allowing public input on how best to divide funds over the coming year.
During April, representatives from county departments have been presenting their budget reduction plans and goals for the 2012/13 fiscal year to the Washoe County Commission.
Washoe County Manager Katy Simon says, “After five years of prioritized cuts, the Washoe County Commissioners were concerned that the deep cuts being made to important services like libraries, parks, and our infrastructure were no longer sustainable, so proportionate cuts were requested of all departments. In addition to hearing from our department heads and employees, we deeply value public input on this process as we continue to grapple with the dramatic effects of the great recession in Washoe County. These are very important and difficult decisions affecting 417,000 residents and millions of visitors, now and into the future.”
The budget reduction plans submitted by departments are currently being reviewed, and recommended reductions in the Manager’s Recommended Budget were introduced yesterday at the county commission meeting.
The final decisions about what reductions will be reflected in the Final Adopted 2012/13 Budget will be made by the county commission at the public hearing on May 21 at 8:30 a.m. in the chambers. Until then, no recommendations are final.
The budget survey will be available through May 8 and can be found at http://www.washoecounty.us/index/surveys.html.
