Budget Summary 2003
$235,785,073

  Main | Expenditures | Revenues | Property Tax Disclosure | Changes  

Major Changes between 2002 and 2003 include:

• In November 2002 the voters approved an increase in the property tax rate of 1.5 mills for developmental disabilities, health programs and human services programs. The Developmental Disabilities Fund property tax rate was increased to 1.0 mill. The Health and Human Services Fund was created with the remaining mill levy to help the Health Department, Mental Health, Social Services and other County programs deal with lost revenues due to state funding cuts.
  

• The voters approved in the November 2001 election an increase of 0.10% in the sales and use tax for seven years to fund transportation projects. The new tax rate went into effect on July 1, 2002 and 2003 is the first full budget year of expenditures.
  

• In November 2001, the voters approved an increase in the county sales and use tax to provide for fire training centers. A new fund as been set up for the collection of the revenues generated by the approved 0.05% sales and use tax beginning January 1, 2002 and ending December 31, 2004. There are no planned expenditures budgeted at this time.
  

• In November 2000, the voters approved a continuance of the county sales and use tax to provide for capital facilities for non-profit organizations. The Worthy Cause Fund revenues generated by the approved 0.05% sales and use tax began January 1, 2001 and will be ending December 31, 2003. The 2003 budget in the fund is $3 million for 2003.
  

• The Social Services Fund budget for 2003 increased overall by 6% from last year’s budget.
  

• The budget for the Retirement Fund has increased by approximately $1 million. The primary reason for this is an increase in contributions by employees into the plan. Additionally, the County’s contribution increases annually with salary plan changes because it is based on a percentage of salaries.
  

• The 2003 budget for the Open Space Capital Improvement Funds includes the bond payments and funds remaining from the 2002 bond sale that will be used for land acquisitions. The bond proceeds account for $20 million of the open space budget.
  

• The Road and Bridge Fund budget does not include intergovernmental revenue for shared projects. It is expected that there will be specific projects in 2003 that will receive Federal and/or State revenues. These revenues will be budgeted when the amounts are known. This is consistent with past practice.
  

• The Capital Expenditure Fund increased approximately $1.95 million in the 2003 budget to fund the construction for the Justice Center addition in Boulder, the Parks and Open Space Department and the Transportation Department facilities in Longmont.
  
  

Other Items of Interest:

• The salary and benefit package for County employees during 2003 includes a market salary adjustment for all employees of 2.5% beginning the first of 2003 and a variable merit pool from 3 - 6% based on the employee’s place in the salary range for the job classification.
  

• The allocations to non-profit agencies, including the Mental Health Center, received an average increase of 5% over the 2002 funding level.
  

• The budget in 2003 for the County’s Health and Dental Plan increased by 21% over last year’s original budget.
  

• The total mill levy for the County in 2002 (for taxes collected in 2003) is 20.087 mills. This total includes a levy of 0.066 mills to recover property taxes abated in 2002 and a temporary mill levy reduction of 3.658 mills, as allowed by State Statute.