The County’s budget process will look a little different this year, due to coronavirus (COVID-19).
Generally, the Board of Supervisors holds hearings in June to approve the recommended budget for the next fiscal year, and the final budget is presented in September, additional hearings are held and the budget is adopted.
However, the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and resulting economic downturn has resulted in significant reductions in revenues and potential increases in costs. These changes have been evolving quickly and are so new that it is difficult to assess the full nature of the situation and produce an appropriate budget in June.
Because of that, the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21 recommended budget will roll over the
FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget at the Board of Supervisors’ June 16 meeting for approval. This recommended budget will provide appropriation authority to continue County operations until a new FY 2020-21 budget is adopted in September. The Board will hold hearings in September on the new recommended budget.
Presenting a new recommended budget for adoption in September will give the County additional time to:
- Refine the estimates of the impact of COVID-19 and the economic downturn in the County’s discretionary, semi-discretionary and other revenues, as well as expenditures
- Work with department heads to develop plans for expenditure reductions as a result of anticipated revenue reductions
There are limited exceptions to the budget rollover, which include revisions to debt service fund budgets required by the terms of the bond indentures and appropriations for the new dental insurance created during FY 2019-20, when the County became self-insured for employee dental insurance.
