By Joyce Kryszak
Buffalo, NY – County lawmakers are getting a head start on their budget work for 2008. Lawmakers have scheduled a series of mid-year budget hearings next week to assess county finances.
Department heads and commissioners were requested to appear throughout the week. Lawmakers want to get a status report from each of them. And they want to review a host of items, including budget monitoring reports and a list of existing vacancies.
They say the information will help them make more informed decisions when planning the 2008 budget.
But Chairwoman Lynn Marinelli said there are still some loose ends from 2007. And she said they need the Erie County Fiscal Stability Authority to help tie them up.
One big snag in the time line will likely be the capital borrowing. The Control board has promised to draw a line in the sand over the amount of the long-term debt, and over who takes out those bonds.
Recently, the control board reluctantly approved a short-term bond. But they said they could have borrowed the money at a better rate. And they vowed to be the ones who take out the capital bonds.
The board is not scheduled to appear at the budget hearings. But Marinelli said the board shouldn't wait until the last minute if they believe they have something to offer.
County officials said the control board's refusal to approve the tax lien sale already creates problems with the 2008 budget. And Marinelli acknowledged that some capital projects likely will have to be cut.
But, Marinelli paints a positive picture of county finances overall, citing improved traching and monitoring.
That poisitive outlook continues, at least until budget hearings next week, when department heads and commissioners give a detailed accounting of the spending needs for their departments.
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