Tough Times Ahead for County Government’s Budget

The budget process has begun and while Oakland County has been successful at staying ahead of the curve through long term planning, it has difficult years ahead.

Each year, the county adopts the first year of a three year rolling budget. This is a successful planning process but only works well because of the reasonable revenue expectations that each year is based on.   The revenue picture for government has been in severe decline with no revenue increases projected for the foreseeable future.

Employees salaries were decreased 2.5% in 2010 and will be decreased another 1.5% in 2011.  Since commissioner salaries cannot be changed during the current term of office, each commissioner voluntarily donated 2.5% of their 2010 salary back to the county and they have decreased the commissioner salary by 5% for the first year of the next term and will stay at par with employees for the second year of the next term – which will at best remain flat.

Future budgets are going to be more and more difficult but the bright side is that we have been able, through good planning, to maintain our AAA bond rating.

 by Sue Ann Douglas, County Commissioner, District 12

The county executive’s 2011 – 2013 budget presentation can be viewed at:

http://www.oakgov.com/exec/assets/docs/budget/070710_budget_presentation.pdf

The full 2011 – 2013 budget recommendation can be viewed at:

http://www.oakgov.com/fiscal/info_pub/2011_rec_budget.html