Glad the State Legislature finally signed a budget. Still nervous about the details. That’s the bottom line for our local government officials, who rely on money from the State.state_capitol_1-12-09

One source of money the State threatened to take but didn’t – gas tax revenue. Inyo County would have lost $1.7 million. Mono, $1.2 million, the Town of Mammoth, $1.4 million and the City of Bishop, $100,000. The two cities were actually saved from these cuts last week when the State issued exemptions for small towns.

All of our local governments still face the State’s plan to take 8% of property tax revenue. Inyo County Administrator Kevin Carunchio said the devil is in the details to figure how much Inyo could lose. He believes somewhere between $1.2 and $3 million. Carunchio estimates more like $1.7 milliion.

Mono County’s Finance Director Brian Muir said Mono could also lose $l.7 million in property tax dollars.

Mammoth Town Manager Rob Clark said that Mammoth stands to lose $250,000 in property tax dollars. The town only gets 6 cents on the dollar in property tax revenue. Clark said loss of the gas tax money was Mammoth’s biggest nightmare. That will not happen.

Bishop City Administrator Rick Pucci had said that law enforcement grant money is stable, which helps. Inyo County Administrator Carunchio said that cuts are likely to happen in Health and Human Services.

All of the administrators said they need more details form the State to fully understand the impacts of the cuts to local government.

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