Marin County’s budget, which soared for decades before leveling off, is on the way down.
Proposing a spending trajectory sure to win a tip of the hat from taxpayers, Marin County Administrator Matthew Hymel has drafted a $441 million budget for fiscal 2011-12 — down $3 million from this year’s $444 million. The plan includes a $372 million general fund budget, down from this year’s $374 million.
The budget is based on projections of $410 million in revenue next fiscal year, down from $414 million this year. Carryover funds round out the program.
The plan requires $5.6 million in spending cuts, most of them already discussed by county supervisors, largely to offset rising pension costs in an era marked by a 2 percent dip in property tax collections. The recession also curbed fee revenue, with the Community Development Agency taking in $800,000 less than expected this year, a decline “due largely to the economy,” according to the budget document.
The spending program, which eliminates 60 posts in a move requiring 24 layoffs, envisions a staff of 2,033. The plan provides up to $25,000 each to 29 employees who accepted bonus pay to leave voluntarily, saving $4 million annually over the long run. Those actually booted next month will get special severance pay of up to $10,000 each.
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