State of the County report released
County approves a $202 million budget for 2012-2013
by Pinedale Online!
November 29, 2012
Each year the Sublette Board of County Commissioners releases a report on the "State of the County." The report says the Sublette County Commission approved a budget of $202 million for the 2012-2013 year, the largest budget in county history. More than $130 million has been allocated to reserve accounts and $52.5 million generated in new tax money from a 12-mill levy.
Property taxes are one of the primary sources of funds for local governments, counties, school districts, towns and special agencies such as service and improvement districts, rural health care districts and cemetery districts. The federal government does not receive any revenue from Sublette County property tax. Gross product of minerals and mine products is taxed at 100% of its fair market value. Industrial property is taxed at 11.5%, and all other property (real and personal) is taxed at 9.5%. The top ten taxpayers in Sublette County in 2011 were oil and gas related businesses. The top five were EnCana Oil and Gas USA Inc, Ultra Resources Inc, Shell, QEP Energy Co, and BP America Production Co. Just a little over half of the land in Sublette County is available for oil and gas development to contribute to the county tax coffers; 42% is unavailable.
Sublette County property owners have among the lowest average mill levies in the entire state, a total of about 64 mills. The majority of that, 44 mills, goes into school funding for the state’s educational system. This tax is collected locally, but the revenue is remitted to the state for redistribution.
The report notes that many of the county department budgets declined from last year to the new year, and the county continues a downward trend in staff positions. As staff positions become vacant (such as through retirements) the positions have been left vacant or eliminated due to the decreased workload resulting from the current economic downturn. The commission has continued its general hiring freeze, not creating new staff positions. It costs approximately $3.4 million per month to operate county government.
The Sheriff’s Office operates on a budget of a little over $9 million which includes law enforcement, detention, communications, search & rescue, and emergency management. The county has budgeted $2.4 million for the county fair, ag center and fairgrounds maintenance. The county fire budget is $3.1 million, which includes funding for all six fire stations and volunteer fire departments. The two county libraries operate on a budget of $1.7 million. The county museum budget is $525,000. The airport budget is $1.1 million for the two airports. The recreation budget in the county is $2.1 million.
Salaries:
County Commissioners: $33,250/year
County Clerk, Treasurer, Assessor, Clerk of District Court, Sheriff: $78,750/year
County Attorney: $93,712/year
County Coroner: $29,390/year
Department Superintendents (Maintenance, Road & Bridge, Waste Management): $74,667/year
Other revenue notes:
- Sublette County contributed 17% of all taxes paid to the State of Wyoming in 2011. Sublette County paid 18.43% of the State of Wyoming’s proportional taxable valuation in 2011. Only Campbell County’s proportion was higher, at 22%.
- The county estimates it will receive about $10 million in sales and use taxes this year, down from last year’s $11.6 million.
- Motor vehicle fees are expected to generate $600,000 in revenue this year.
- Grant money of about $502,000 is expected for air quality concerns.
- The county anticipates it will receive about $400,000 from state gas tax revenue. Gas is taxed between $.13 - .14 cents per gallon for regular and diesel fuel.
- The county estimates it will get around $282,000 for county road fund money to help with road construction and maintenance needs.
- The County Attorney’s office will receive about $136,000 from Victim Witness Services this year.
- The county will receive about $50,000 for emergency management efforts from the State of Wyoming this year.
- $47,000 in state funding is expected for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
- The county expects to get a little over $13,500 for providing law enforcement services at nearby U.S. Forest Service installations.
- The county estimates it will receive $8,000 in cigarette tax revenue in the new year.
- Liquor license fees are expected to generate about $7,700 this year.
Click on this link for a PDF of the 2012-2013 State of the County report. (2.48MB, 21 pages)
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