“Sharpen your pencils,” advised Garfield County Commission Chair John Martin after another county budget “kick-off” presentation at Monday’s meeting. County staff are wading into the annual budget process this summer. With two kick-offs under their belts and one more scheduled for August, they seem a little nervous about creating a balanced budget for 2024. And, perhaps with good reason.
Property taxes are at an all-time high this year with 100 additional appeals (as of Monday) to be heard through Thursday of this week. County resident Craig Amichaux spoke to the commissioners (BOCC) for the second time in a month about his property taxes, which he said came to $79,000 this year. “I don’t go to work every day just to pay $79,000 in property taxes,” he exclaimed, again demanding that the BOCC do something about the county mill levy. Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said the county plans on putting together a no-growth budget and will reduce the mill levy accordingly.
Property taxes make up half the county’s revenue and are estimated to bring in $56 million for use in 2024, according to projected revenues presented Monday, up from about $40 million last year. But, that figure could shift once appeals hearings are finished and the outcome of Proposition HH, a controversial ballot measure about property taxes and TABOR refunds, is decided by voters in November.
The budget, said County Manager Fred Jarman, is an action plan for 2024. Challenges include a significant reduction in property tax revenues due to the decline in oil and gas production, increased costs due to inflation, and salary increases and equity adjustments to attract and retain workers. Projected severance tax revenue is also down by $100,000 for next year.
The projected fund balance is what concerns the BOCC. For 2024, the fund balance is estimated at about $84 million. But, steep declines are expected for 2025 to $65.3 million and $45 million for 2026. Jamaica Watts, county finance director, told the Board that the forecast shows operating discretionary and capital spending consistent with this year plus a projected 6% insurance increase and 5% merit pay raises through 2026. She said that capital expenses could remain around $10 to $14 million through 2026.
Commissioner Mike Samson said he feels good about 2023 and 2024. “As I look past that, I get real nervous,” he said. “We’ll have to ask for a miracle of revenue coming in. I think I’m going to have to go back to Washington, D.C. and bring back some more oil shale trust fund money or something to help us out.” County staff will present the proposed budget in October. Based on the outcome of Prop. HH, the budget is expected to be finalized Dec. 4.
In other news, the BOCC adopted a new noxious weed ordinance to enforce weed management in unincorporated Garfield County. The ordinance was introduced by county vegetation management staff and discussed at a BOCC meeting in late June. Basically, Steve Anthony, vegetation manager, said in June that his office has been fielding complaints about noxious weeds. Brett Jolley, president of the South Side Conservation District, told the BOCC at the same meeting that it’s time to get weeds under control.
Noxious weeds spread quickly and crowd out native plants. So, beginning next month, anyone who has received a complaint about the presence of noxious weeds on their property has ten days to respond. A process ensues, which may include fines of $100 per day (up to $1,000) for the first violation, if the complaint is ignored, and double that for the second.
Colorado has three categories of noxious weeds. The 18 culprits on the “A” list, include three knapweed plants, including the prolific Russian knapweed which is poison to horses, myrtle spurge, star thistle and purple loosestrife. They must be eradicated on sight. Thirty-four “B” list plants include absinth wormwood, five thistles, chamomile, Russian olive and salt cedar. (Durango’s Mountain Studies Institute states that a Russian olive tree can guzzle up to 75 gallons of water per day.) The state has management plans in place for the “B” list. Thirteen plants make up the “C” list, including chicory, common mullein, St. John’s wort, halogeton, burdock and bindweed.
“The top three (in Garfield County) would be Scotch thistle, Russian knapweed and hoary cress (aka whitetop),” said Anthony in an email to The Sopris Sun. He added that myrtle spurge is spreading. “We are seeing that plant escape from landscape situations in residential areas,” he explained. “It is now becoming a problem in native ecosystems throughout the county, particularly in and around the hillsides north of Glenwood Springs.”