County takes in less in taxes for gas, auto sales

Slumping auto sales and more conservative driving may impact Pettis County’s 2009 budget, as county taxes on motor vehicle sales and gasoline are failing to reach the 2008 projections.

The Pettis County Commission heard 2009 budget proposals for the county’s University of Missouri Extension, courts, circuit clerk, county clerk, recorder of deeds, assessor and Road and Bridge departments Monday.

Most departments spent and earned close to their budgets, yet the debate over the proposed revenue for the county’s Road and Bridge Department provided a glimpse of the earnest conversations forthcoming on the 2009 budget.

Pettis County was estimated to make $320,000 from the motor vehicle sales tax in 2009, according to the proposed budget worksheet. That is the same amount they budgeted for in 2008, but the tax has only garnered $221,541 so far in 2008, with two months left to be recorded. The county also expected to earn $850,000 in 2009 from the gas tax, down $40,000 from the budgeted $890,000 in 2008. The county made just $699,818 from the tax in the first 10 months of the year.

“I’m telling you it’s going to go down,” Western Commissioner Larry Wilson said.

The County Commission decided to lower both revenue estimates for 2009 after some discussion over the future of auto use and sales here. The commission adjusted the projected revenue from the motor vehicle sales tax from $320,000 down to $300,000, and lowered the estimated gas tax revenue from $850,000 to $800,000.

“Understand everything we do here is going to have a direct impact on what we do (to expenditures) in a minute,” Presiding Commissioner Rusty Kahrs said.

Still, the commission agreed they did not want to overestimate the revenues only to discover a lack of funding after committing to expenditures.

“I’m all for being conservative on the revenue side,” Kahrs said.

The commission did not propose any major cutbacks to the Road and Bridge Department, but much work remains to balance the 2009 budget.

“All right, we’re going to have to shake and bake, and make it all work out,” Kahrs said.

“This one could be difficult,” Wilson said.

Kahrs said these initial hearings, which will continue through the week, allow officials to devise a “wish list” for next year’s funding. The final 2009 budget will not be balanced until January.

The proposed 2009 budget includes salary increases for full-time employees in many county departments, along with some of the elected official positions.

In Monday’s hearing, officials walked the commission through their 2008 revenues and expenses, helping establish estimates for what each department will need next year.

“The conversations are laid back now, but they will be more intense in January,” Kahrs said.