MANSFIELD — Richland County commissioners may have to trim as much as $5.8 million from 2022 department budget requests in the next couple of weeks, depending upon final revenue projections.
County Auditor Pat Dropsey told commissioners on Tuesday he projects about $36 million in total revenue for 2022, including $20.9 million in local sales tax collections.
Budget requests from other county elected officials and department heads total about $41.8 million, according to Commissioner Darrell Banks.
Dropsey said his revenue estimates are likely to rise, telling commissioners he thinks the county will end 2021 with about $23.8 million in permissive sales tax funds combined with casino tax revenue.
He told commissioners his combined projection for 2022 is $22.4 million, including $1.5 million in casino revenue.
“I will make the same promise this year to you that I made last year. Once we get the December permissive sales tax in, I will relook at it and I will have a discussion with you guys. I will make a change to the estimate for permissive sales tax,” Dropsey said.
“I want to caution the commissioners that it’s been over 30 years since we’ve had an inflation at the rate we’ve had. I have no idea what’s going to happen when it comes to the spending in our county during 2022, if inflation stays at the current rate or even if it increases.”
The national consumer price index showed the price of consumer products and services jumped 6.2 percent from October 2020 to October 2021 — the fastest 12-month increase in nearly 31 years.
On Thursday. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell testified before the Senate Banking Committee. He said price increases seen today are still related to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they “have spread much more broadly (and) the risk of higher inflation has increased.”
The fed chair said it’s a good time to “to retire” the word “transitory” when talking about rising inflation.
Dropsey said he will remain cautious.
“I will never put you guys in a position where I have to come in and and tell you I was wrong and you’re going to have to cut your budget,” the veteran auditor said. “I’d rather tell you I was wrong and you’re going to get more money than (expected).
“Truthfully, I know I am going to go higher than $22.4 million. I just don’t know how high.”
Also on Tuesday, commissioners:
— awarded a $292,200 contract to Dore & Associates, a Michigan-based company, to demolish and remove cells from the old county jail on L2 of the county administration building. The work to remove the cells embedded in concrete floors are part of a larger project that is expected to eventually result in a fourth courtroom for the Richland County Common Pleas general division.
— awarded a $201,606 contract to Adena Corp. of Mansfield for replacement work on Mill Run Road. County Engineer Adam Gove has said 90 percent of the work will be paid for through a state transportation grant. The replacement will be done in 2022.
— opened bids for a project for the The Domestic Violence Shelter in Mansfield, using $280,000 in CARES Act Community Development Block Grant funds. Commissioners approved the funds in May, acting on a request from Jotika Shetty, executive director of the Richland County Regional Planning Commission.
The DV Shelter recently acquired an adjoining property and will use the funds to link the buildings and renovate the new space, increasing its capacity by 70 percent, Shetty said.
Shetty said domestic violence incidents and deaths around the state increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three bids were submitted and the low bid came from Studer-Obringer Construction Co., Inc. from New Washington. The company’s bid was $267,000 for the primary work and $16,300 for some additional, alternate remodeling.
Mansfield architect Dan Seckel said he had estimated the primary work at $265,000 and $31,00 for the additional, alternate effort. He will review the three bids and bring a recommendation back to commissioners.
