Treasurer’s office helping loosen belt
Saturday, August 5, 2006 9:38 PM EDT article source
Lawrence County’s government has long been squeezed by a shrinking budget, but now the treasurer’s office may help loosen the belt a little bit.
Lawrence County Treasurer Stephen Dale Burcham was recently the bearer of good news, stemming from his office’s hard work and aggressive approach to tax collection. The county had collected more tax dollars in one year than it ever had before, topping more than $20 million.
For a county that has been suffering from dwindling funds and escalating expenses, this is more than just good news. It may be the difference in maintaining the same level of services in some offices.
While county officeholders and the commissioners should not take this as a license to over spend, the added revenue will help the county as it goes back to re-evaluate its conservative budget projections that have left some offices running short of funds.
The county still must be judicious with its decisions and how these taxpayer funds are spent, but this ability to loosen the belt may ease the squeeze in some areas.
Burcham and his staff deserve much of the credit for aggressively pursuing delinquent property owners — something Burcham said will continue — and allowing tax payments to be made at various sites across Lawrence County.
What may seem like a few minor changes is now paying dividends that will benefit current and future Lawrence Countians.
Much of any additional tax revenue will go to the county’s schools, something they all can use.
But the boost in tax collections wasn’t the only good news to come from the treasurer’s office. A change in investment strategy by the county has generated an additional $100,000 in interest payments.
Again, this money may not all come in at once, but for a county government that is counting nearly every penny, this is a big boost.
Lawrence County’s government still needs to keep the belt tightened but can now exhale a bit — and so too can the taxpayers who should feel better now that the government is working to make sure everyone pays their fair share and then uses that money wisely.