The Chelan County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) needed over $4 million dollars from the county savings account to balance the 2025 operating budget.
Chelan County Commissioner Brad Hawkins has, since taking office a month ago, been claiming that a budget imbalance is not sustainable.
Hawkins has repeatedly asked where expenses can be reduced or new revenues raised. He asked his colleagues on Monday to adopt a resolution committing to working towards a balanced checking account heading into each new year.
On a 2-to-1 vote, the commissioners rejected Hawkins’ idea.
"Personally, I gotta say, I'm a little disappointed, a little frustrated by this resolution," said Chelan County Commissioner Shon Smith. "Even before I was elected, I sat through two entire budget seasons of Chelan County and it's not a simple process, it's not a painless process, it's a very tough process, it's emotional. The goal of the commissioners, of course, is to have a balanced budget. We are here to be the stewards of the tax dollars that are coming to us. Our entire goal; the entire thrust is to have a balanced budget."
I don't understand why you even want to do this, if this is already our goal and we swear an oath to uphold an issue like this," Smith said in responding to Hawkins' proposal. "Is this what you do in the legislature?"
Hawkins is a former 12th District State Senator and State House Representative. He was elected to the county commission in November.
"First of all, I'm not trying to insult anybody by this, my goal is that we would achieve a balanced budget," Hawkins said in response.
"But we do," countered Smith.
"Actually no, the last balanced budget, as I can recall from doing the research, is 2018," Hawkins said. "Basically, every year since then, the board has approved budget deficits and those budget deficits are growing. It's going to create, potentially, a real challenge, if we don't get the revenues and spending more in line."
The county budget is fluid, considering fluctuating property and sales tax revenues, the increased cost of doing business, including contractual cost of living salary adjustments, and facilities' needs.
"Generally, year-over, we under spend by 3% and year-over we generally project revenue at 3% over projections," said Commissioner Kevin Overbay. "So really there's a 6% window there that's built into our budget. On a $60 million dollar budget, it's about $3.6 million. Realistic, at the end of the day, while on paper it looks like there's a huge gap, there's really not as large a gap as what it appears to be on paper."
A robust construction permit year in 2024, and industrial development, such as the developing Microsoft datacenter campus on Malaga-Alcoa Highway, provides indications of increased property tax revenues to the county. Microsoft reports on their website that the Malaga datacenter may be completed by 2026.
The commissioners also hinted of indications that sales and use tax revenues may be favorable.
This year, Commissioners adopted a $60 million general fund budget, starting the year with an estimated $11 million in savings.
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