County likely to hold back

Ector County commissioners say there won’t be much money to go toward new positions when they hold their fiscal year 2010-2011 budget hearings starting Aug. 2. But that won’t stop some in county government from asking anyway.

"It’s going to be very, very limited, if at all," Commissioner Dale Childers said of new hires. "Once again, our revenue is flat, if not down a little."

That’s a bit of a shift from the 2009-2010 budget, when commissioners wouldn’t even entertain new positions.

Last year, commissioners were dealing with a struggling economy and an economic factor of $35.99 a barrel for mineral rights valuations set by the state comptroller’s office, which led to decreased tax revenue for the county.

This year, the comptroller’s value for oil has increased to $64.55, but County Judge Susan Redford said any gains there could be offset by a decrease in property values for the county.

Redford said the county is required to meet state mandates by adding new sheriff’s deputies as well as jailers at the Ector County Detention Center and detention officers at the youth center.

"As far as adding personnel to departments, those are the only departments we are looking to add new positions to," she said. "The goal is to keep the budget relatively flat. We’d like to keep the tax rate at the same level as the previous year."

For the current fiscal year, the county has a tax rate of 35.8 cents per $100 property tax valuation.

Commissioner Greg Simmons said as many as 12 departments could request additional personnel. And if they grant new positions for one, that could cause others to want more people.

"That’s the problem, every department thinks their department is the most important one," he said. "Every department serves a different niche in the community as far as serving the constituents."

County Attorney Cindy Weir-Nutter said she plans to ask for two new attorneys, as well as a legal assistant.

In a written budget request presentation, Weir-Nutter said she is requesting "the very minimum number of positions possible in order to provide a modicum of support and relief for the current staff."

She plans to show charts comparing Ector County to 17 other counties that are the same size or a little larger. The charts show Ector County had 5,001 cases filed in 2009, more cases than most of the other counties handled that year. Only two counties, Jefferson County and McLennan County, had more cases, but each of those counties have around 100,000 more residents than Ector County’s 134,625.

Meanwhile, Weir-Nutter points out that Ector County has four attorneys in its county attorney office, fewer than any of the 17 counties. Of the two West Texas counties closest to Ector in population, Weir-Nutter said Midland County has nine attorneys and Taylor County has seven attorneys handling misdemeanors.

But Simmons said it’s important to focus on the needs of Ector County, especially when other counties have other income, such as sales tax.

"People can play numbers games, but I look at our county," he said. "That’s like saying other county commissioners around the state make more money, so I should make more money."

But Weir-Nutter said Ector County could find new ways to raise money. She points to Midland County, which will raise a projected $360,000 this year from a 1 percent hotel/motel tax for the county.

"That money is not coming from their residents, it’s coming from people who come into town," she said. "I think it would be wise if we diversified our income sources."

Regardless of whether commissioners accept her recommendations, Weir-Nutter said it’s important to discuss the issues with them.

"I think that it is our job to let the commissioners know what our needs are, and then they can decide whether or not they’re going to fulfill those needs," she said.

Others have more modest goals. Joe Rickey, the county’s veterans’ services officer, said he has been overwhelmed with the number of veterans he serves and will request more than the 28-hour work weeks he currently is funded for.

"There are days I’d come in and have 30 phone calls, and get it down to 20, and the next day come back and have 56," he said.

Childers said he is disappointed the past year didn’t turn out better as far as revenue for the county.

"It’s a situation where we have to look at the needs over the wants," he said. "The wants will have to wait until next year."