Erica Techo
County Chief Financial Officer Butch Burbage (left) discusses the projected revenues for FY 2017.
Shelby County’s revenues look to be in good shape for fiscal year 2017, County Chief Financial Officer Butch Burbage told the commission.
Burbage shared projected revenues with the Shelby County Commission during its Aug. 8 meeting, noting areas where the county has seen increases.
“The good news is our revenues are very solid,” he said.
The county plans its budget for the upcoming fiscal year by looking at what revenues are expected, and then planning which projects would be feasible. The year-end projection for fiscal year 2016’s property tax revenue is just over $13.1 million, according to projections provided to the commission, but Burbage said this is expected to be up to $13.8 million for FY 2017.
“We’re seeing some increases in property tax,” Burbage said. “[Property Tax Commissioner] Don [Armstrong] is telling me that is mainly in the commercial side.”
While residential construction has rebounded, the main increase is on the commercial side, Burbage said. Most strip malls in Shelby County are full, he said, which has also led to an increase in collections on sales taxes.
The year-end projection for sales taxes this fiscal year is around $14.9 million, and the proposed revenue for the FY 17 budget is over $15 million.
“I’m actually projecting something we’ve never had here before, going over $15 million for our one-half of one cent on sales tax,” he said. “I’m projecting $15,281,000, so that’s a real healthy growth in our sales and use tax.”
Burbage said there is a chance November’s presidential election could affect the economy by influencing how individuals spend, but he said it is difficult to gauge what the impact might be at this time.
“Sometimes you see a bump because people are happy with what happens, and sometimes you see it go back the other way,” he said. “In all honestly, I can’t get a read with what’s going on.”
Burbage also discussed potential projects for the county. The projects included spending for the Talladega Shelby Water Treatment Plant, park development and maintenance and economic development projects, but Burbage said the county likely will not spend all of that in the upcoming fiscal year.
“These projects are fairly large, so it’s usually not something that would happen in one fiscal year. It really spans a couple of fiscal years,” he said.
Overall, Burbage said most funds were seeing a “healthy bump” according to his projections.
“We’re healthy,” he said. “I don’t want to get over-exuberant, but we have a healthy economy, we have a healthy budget.”
Also at the meeting, the commission:
- Approved bids for uniform shirts and jackets and for pressure seal forms.
- Approved a resolution regarding upcoming HVAC renovations in the County Administration Building. The resolution awarded the bid for the project to Douglas Built, and it approved the relocation of Shelby County Commission meetings during the time of the renovations. Effective Sept. 12, commission meetings will be located in the Harrison Regional Library Building, located at 50 Lester Street in Columbiana.
- Approved a resolution to use electronic poll books in lieu of printed lists in the upcoming Statewide General Election. No county funds are involved in this project, Burbage said, which is being implemented by the secretary of state.
