Sep 18, 2016 2 min read

Greene County’s commissioners have scheduled budget hearings as they prepare the county’s 2017 spending plan, with the intent of giving residents the opportunity to listen to department heads explain their requests for any increases in funding outside those normally attributed to salaries, supplies and regular contractual services.

While we agree with the county’s goal of making the process more transparent, we also wonder whether the aim might be better served with a format that first gives the public a broader view of the county budget, including projected revenue and details on proposed spending increases outside the norm.

Obviously, if the commissioners said they were expecting to raise taxes, people would come to the hearings. People also might be interested if a department head were making a request for a program or purchase for which there might be some question regarding its importance or necessity.

But we really don’t believe many residents will attend a hearing without knowing beforehand what might be discussed, and we doubt anyone will want to take the time to sit through a hearing to learn one department is requesting an additional staff person, for example, to do a job mandated by the state or needed because of program changes.

The county revived budget hearings last year when it faced issues related to the withholding of state money because of the state budget crisis. And there are factors this year, including union contracts and expected decreases in coal assessments, that cloud this year’s budget outlook.

But unless the public knows in advance that they may see a tax increase or can comment on what they believe is a questionable expense, we doubt anyone will attend the hearings.

Last year’s budget hearings proved that. No one from the public showed up.

That seems to indicate a change in format this year could promote more public participation in the process.