Westmoreland commissioners proposed deficit budget with no tax increase

Westmoreland commissioners will use more than $8.6 million in covid relief funds next year to outside agencies as part of the county’s 2023 budget introduced on Thursday.

The $418 million spending plan keeps the 21.49 mill property tax rate that has been in place since 2019, but carries a nearly $11 million deficit.

“This is proposed from our standpoint. We have to go back and look at everything with the fiscal department and go through this budget once again with a fine-toothed comb to try to get the deficit down as much as possible,” said Commissioner Sean Kertes.

Commissioners said the final budget, set for approval on Dec. 15, will likely see some changes but the tax rate is expected to remain steady.

County budgets for several decades have seen expenses outpace revenues with surplus funds used to balance the spending plans. The 2023 preliminary budget estimates the county will end next year with a $4.4 million surplus, according to finance director Meghan McCandless.

“Like always, this is just proposed. As always we will go line by line to make cuts,” said Commissioner Gina Cerilli Thrasher. “We’re going to try to cut as much as we can.”

While no major capital projects were included in the early 2023 budget, officials have shifted how the county will fund some affiliated agencies, such as the county airport authority and community college.

Those agencies in past years have been funded from general operating expenses. In 2023, the county will use American Rescue Plan funds.

McCandless said funding levels for those agencies are projected to remain unchanged from this year. The airport is slated to get $2.7 million and WCCC is earmarked to get more than $3.5 million. In all, she said commissioners will use more than $15 million in covid relief money as part of next year’s budget.

The county has received more than $105 million in American Rescue Plan funds, of which $10 million was spent through the end of September and a total of $35 million was allocated to other projects, including grants for water and sewer upgrades, blight removal, computer and technology purchases and funds for the county food bank.

Meanwhile, human services programs account for about 35% of all expenditures in the proposed budget and county salaries make up more than 53% of the $146 million allocated for general government operations.

Commissioners said increased costs of utility bills and supplies affected the budget.

“We are seeing significant impacts due to inflation but we are holding the line so we don’t have to increase taxes,” Kertes said.