Nov 18, 2016 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – The Greene County commissioners unanimously approved their 2017 preliminary budget Thursday with an increase in spending, but no tax increase is expected.

The proposed spending plan, which must be finalized and approved next month, includes a 6.2 percent increase in spending, raising the general fund’s anticipated expenditures to $20.981 million.

The overall spending plan, which includes the state’s Liquid Fuels tax allocation, 911 fund, Community Development Block Grant money and a variety of human services funds, will reach nearly $31.858 million next year, which represents an identical 6.2-percent increase as the general budget.

Chief Clerk Jeff Marshall said the increases were driven by four union contracts of all county employees currently under negotiation that will go into effect next year, along with rising costs in human services and the courts.

Spending for Children and Youth Services increased by $612,000, for a budget of $3.2 million next year. The tourism line item, however, was reduced by nearly $75,000 to sit at $210,000 next year.

Even with the overall spending increases, he did not expect that property taxes would change from their current rate of 7.535 mills.

“With the budget presented right now, it does not include a tax increase, and I don’t expect one,” Marshall said. “But they won’t set it until December.”

The public can review the entire budget online at www.co.greene.pa.us or at the county office building until Dec. 15, when the commissioners are expected to vote to approve the final plan.