BUDGET FOR COUNTY HITS $5.4 MILLION

JACKSON - A $5.4 million budget approved by the Cape Girardeau County Commission Monday reflects a 4.4 percent increase in revenues and expenses for this year.

But in his annual budget message, presented as part of the county's budget hearing, Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep warned that flat sales-tax growth and increasing expenses in most areas of county government will make it necessary to keep a close eye on funds.

Huckstep also expressed concern again this year about increasing costs to operate the criminal justice system; a growing trend on the part of state and federal governments to mandate new programs for counties without providing funding; and increased costs for maintaining county roads and bridges.

"In county government we are close to and can expect to be held accountable by the people," said Huckstep. "This, I firmly believe, is our main strength. This closeness means responsiveness, a natural disciplining mechanism that should force us to keep a close eye on expenses and, like every prudent family, live within our budget.

"We are not the U.S. Congress running the federal government, and unlike them, we cannot print money to skate by when we foolishly overspend."

Huckstep said he was not trying to be an alarmist without reason, but, "I am trying to caution that we cannot continue absorbing large increases in expenses every year when our income grows modestly, if at all. Our hope is to save us from a bitter day of reckoning."

Huckstep, who as presiding commissioner is the chief budget officer for the county, said he still anticipates a zero general-revenue property tax levy for 1991 and beyond. Cape County has not had a general-revenue property tax for a decade.

Sources of income for general revenue include $1,120,000 from fees and receipts, and a balance of $1,278,500 at the end of last year. Most of the remaining funds are about $3 million from the county's half-cent sales tax.

Except for increasing criminal justice costs, Huckstep said, "In the remaining general revenue portion of the budget, all other offices and departments of Cape Girardeau County appear to be in good financial and stable condition."

Cape County's road and bridge budget of $1.7 million reflects a revenue shortfall of about $150,000, Huckstep said, which is being made up by transferring $150,000 from the county's capital trust account into the road budget.

Auditor H. Weldon Macke explained that at the start of 1990 there was total cash available in the road and bridge fund of $597,627, but this year that figure is $296,245.53. The road and bridge fund revenue comes from a 23-cent property tax levy.

"There are just not as many dollars there as necessary to fund our needs," said Macke. "Expenses have just gone up so much more."

Another factor is the popularity of the road sealing program begun two years ago, where the county shares dust-control costs with property owners. The county's cost for that program jumped from about $75,000 in 1989 to about $95,000 in 1990.

Macke said they will be watching road and bridge funds closely this year. Other sources of income for the fund, such as sales tax on vehicles, CART funds from the state gas tax, and interest earned stayed about the same or declined slightly last year over the previous year.

Associate Commissioner Leonard Sander, who oversees the county highway department, agreed that material costs were much higher. He said traffic counts have increased, requiring more maintenance.

Cape County's capital trust account, established eight years ago to fund major capital improvements and emergencies, grew from $1,727,000 at the end of 1989 to $2,123,000 at the end of 1990.