Site search
sponsored by
| Welcome, Guest |
|
| LOGIN | Become a Member | What's This? |
Please enter the following information:
| Email or Screen Name: | |
| Password: | |
| Remember Me | |
|
Forgot Password?
Didn't receive your verification email? Become a Member |
|
Jobs
Real Estate
Classifieds
Search for homes by MLS, classified listings, rentals, and much more!
ENLARGE
SUMMIT COUNTY — An across-the-board wage freeze for county employees will take effect Jan. 1 and last at least through mid-year, depending on revenues, county officials disclosed this week.
The county commissioners now are planning on a 5-percent decrease in sales taxes as well as reductions in fee collections, county manager Gary Martinez indicated in a memo to department heads this week.
The push to contain costs is part of an ongoing effort to trim the county’s 2009 budget in the face of an apparent economic recession.
Voters approved a ballot measure earlier this month that will boost revenues in 2010, but the gloomy economic outlook for 2009 still requires cutbacks for the upcoming year, Martinez said.
More cuts could be in store mid-year, depending on how county revenues shape up, he said.
Hoping to maintain essential services and retain existing staff, the county still is looking at reducing library hours. Several county positions in the planning, building and weed control departments also have been cut by attrition, but the passage of Measure 1A means no existing positions will need to be cut, at least for now, he said.
“Prior to 1A, we were looking at staffing changes. Now we can wait and see just how bad 2009 is going to be. But we’re thankful we can preserve jobs for now,” Martinez said.
All overtime for county employees has been eliminated, and spending on training and travel also has been frozen.
Martinez said the county also has cut back funding to the Summit Foundation and the Community Care Clinic.
The wage freeze could affect the ability of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office to retain its employees, Sheriff John Minor said during a commissioner work session earlier this week.
Some towns in the county actually are offering pay increases to police officers, Minor said, and he fears his department may lose deputies because of the wage freeze.
Commissioner Bob French said he understood the sheriff’s concerns, but that the county is not in a position to increase wages for any department.
“The shirt has to meet the pants,” French said.
In the context of budget discussions, Treasurer Bill Wallace expressed concern about a recent tax battle between the county and Vail Resorts over the value of property at Keystone ski area.
Addressing the commissioners, Wallace said: “Maybe you should call certain large corporations who hire Chicago lawyers to protest their property taxes. They hire lawyers to tell us we’re a bunch of country bumpkins who don’t know what we’re doing. Maybe we should get those corporations to stop playing the property-tax game.”
Vail Resorts is seeking an abatement on property taxes paid on the Keystone Conference Center and the Keystone Lodge and Spa. The company challenged the county’s assessment at a state hearing recently, seeking a refund of well over $100,000.
The county commissioners now are planning on a 5-percent decrease in sales taxes as well as reductions in fee collections, county manager Gary Martinez indicated in a memo to department heads this week.
The push to contain costs is part of an ongoing effort to trim the county’s 2009 budget in the face of an apparent economic recession.
Voters approved a ballot measure earlier this month that will boost revenues in 2010, but the gloomy economic outlook for 2009 still requires cutbacks for the upcoming year, Martinez said.
More cuts could be in store mid-year, depending on how county revenues shape up, he said.
Hoping to maintain essential services and retain existing staff, the county still is looking at reducing library hours. Several county positions in the planning, building and weed control departments also have been cut by attrition, but the passage of Measure 1A means no existing positions will need to be cut, at least for now, he said.
“Prior to 1A, we were looking at staffing changes. Now we can wait and see just how bad 2009 is going to be. But we’re thankful we can preserve jobs for now,” Martinez said.
All overtime for county employees has been eliminated, and spending on training and travel also has been frozen.
Martinez said the county also has cut back funding to the Summit Foundation and the Community Care Clinic.
The wage freeze could affect the ability of the Summit County Sheriff’s Office to retain its employees, Sheriff John Minor said during a commissioner work session earlier this week.
Some towns in the county actually are offering pay increases to police officers, Minor said, and he fears his department may lose deputies because of the wage freeze.
Commissioner Bob French said he understood the sheriff’s concerns, but that the county is not in a position to increase wages for any department.
“The shirt has to meet the pants,” French said.
In the context of budget discussions, Treasurer Bill Wallace expressed concern about a recent tax battle between the county and Vail Resorts over the value of property at Keystone ski area.
Addressing the commissioners, Wallace said: “Maybe you should call certain large corporations who hire Chicago lawyers to protest their property taxes. They hire lawyers to tell us we’re a bunch of country bumpkins who don’t know what we’re doing. Maybe we should get those corporations to stop playing the property-tax game.”
Vail Resorts is seeking an abatement on property taxes paid on the Keystone Conference Center and the Keystone Lodge and Spa. The company challenged the county’s assessment at a state hearing recently, seeking a refund of well over $100,000.
Ads by Google
Other Top Items
|
Related Articles
|
Most Recommended Articles
|
Comments
You must be logged in to leave a comment.
GET MORE NEWS
