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Medicaid costs ramp up Wayne County’s budget
12 July 2007 — Wayne County Commissioners approved the 2007-2008 budget last Tuesday, which includes a 2.9 cent property tax increase.
That means property owners will pay 76.4 cents per $100 valuation in 2007-2008.
The $107.6 million budget contains a four percent increase in school funding and allows an additional $1.7 million for increasing Medicaid costs.
Operating costs for the county were cut by $890,000 in this year’s budget and the capital outlay budget was cut by $850,000 when County Commissioners decided to repair only one of two damaged roofs at Wayne Community College.
Several Commissioners voiced their concern over the skyrocketing Medicaid costs, saying they believed it was time the county took a stand against the state continuing to burden counties with the costs for that program.
Medicaid is expected to cost the county a total of $8.4 million in 2007-2008.
Commissioner Jack Best said that Medicaid was “one of the things about the budget I can hardly vote for.”
Best said he believed that the Medicaid services were originally put in place to help people who had worked hard all their life, but had run into some difficult times.
“They didn’t want to make it a charity,” he said, “But now it’s become a given and people think they are entitled.”
Commissioner Bud Gray said he was not in favor of raising taxes, but said that “if the state would do their part, we wouldn’t be in this shape.”
Gray added that the Office of the Sheriff, Emergency Management Services and the Health Department had to put projects on hold because the county had to spend so much money on Medicaid.
Commissioner Andy Anderson said that most of the citizens that spoke to him about the budget were in favor of spending money to improve the county’s infrastructure and to bring jobs to the county.
“But the citizens of county are saying they can’t afford taxes because soon they too will have to be put on the assistance roll,” Anderson said.
Best thought the Commissioners should delay the vote on the budget until late July, operating on an interim budget, to see what the state would finally do regarding Medicaid relief for counties.
Commissioner Atlas Price said he thought the board was getting caught between taxpayers and the people who need services.
“It’s a hard decision,” Price said. “But, I believe we’re capable of making a decision on the budget.”
Commissioner J.D. Evans said he thought the board needed to move forward.
“At the proper time, if it’s necessary, we can make an adjustment if we need to,” Evans said.
The board passed the proposed $107.6 million budget with a 2.9 cent tax increase in a four to three vote. Commissioners Jack Best, Andy Anderson and Efton Sager voted against the budget.
Issue of 12 July 2007 Headlines Theresa Cox returns to lead Northwest Stantonsburg police get their man Stantonsburg under water restriction Show your pet some love at the Ice Cream Social and Pet Parade Pikeville burglary arrest made Medicaid costs ramp up Wayne Co,'s budget Wayne Schools support $2 billion bond package Wayne Wilson News Leader Princeton News Leader |
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