State’s budget deal effects still not clear

Published 9:59 am Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Weeks after state officials agreed to end the government shutdown, the county is still registering the effects.

While no County Program Aid was cut, about $500,000 in Market Value Credits were deferred. County employees are working to assess if the board can adjust the budget or if it will have to adjust the tax levy, which can’t be done until next year.

Oscarson said Human Services is going to be about $400,000 to $600,000 over budgets. About $173,000 of that is due to the recent Health and Human Services Omnibus Bill.

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Human Services Director Julie Stevermer said the state pushed off more of the burden onto the local governments.

“It’s going to be a balancing act,” Stevermer said.

County commissioners said state leaders didn’t settle their own problems, they just pushed them down the road.