SLO County supervisors set budget priorities, consider refunds

San Luis Obispo County supervisors voted 4-1 Tuesday to adopt their budget goals, policies and priorities, which will guide county officials as they prepare the proposed budget for the 2017-18 fiscal year.

Despite an attempt by Supervisor Debbie Arnold to add road maintenance to the supervisors’ list of priorities, the top goals remained the same as they are this fiscal year: provide services required by state and federal law; meet debt requirements, such as paying off financing for capital projects; and funding public safety, defined as the county Sheriff’s Office, County District Attorney, County Probation Department and County Fire.

The supervisors did not delve into the dollar amounts for next year’s proposed budget, which will be discussed several more times before it comes to the board for adoption in June 2017.

Arnold dissented, saying that maintaining roads is also a public safety issue.

Supervisor Lynn Compton said she agreed, but the three other supervisors did not. Supervisor Adam Hill said it made him uncomfortable to add because it could suggest the board was putting roads before other programs such as indigent care or other health services.

“I wouldn’t want to prioritize potholes over poor people or potholes over jobs or potholes over stray pets,” Hill said.

The county put $11.2 million into its pavement management program in the 2015-16 fiscal year, increasing the overall condition of the county’s roads, said Dave Flynn, deputy public works director. It would cost $9.8 million a year to maintain the pavement system at that level, he said in an email.

Supervisor Frank Mecham, referencing an anticipated surplus of $6 million to $10 million in next year’s budget, asked whether the county has ever thought about giving refunds to taxpayers.

“I think we’ve done a pretty good job of getting us back on track,” Mecham said. “But I wonder when we see these surpluses ... if we really want public support, maybe send everyone $100.”

County Administrative Officer Dan Buckshi noted the county has numerous large projects in the works — a new airport terminal, an expansion of the women’s jail, a new animal shelter and new emergency dispatch center — and added: “I would have to check and see if we can make refunds. I think it’s unlikely and I think our auditor controller is starting to twitch out there.”

This story was originally published November 1, 2016 at 6:49 PM with the headline "SLO County supervisors set budget priorities, consider refunds."