Jefferson County Commissioners Anticipate Budgets Struggles

By Gordon HopkinsJefferson County Commissioners met with department heads to discuss budget matters on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. As has been the case for the past several years, the primary issue is how to continue operating in the face of increasing costs.Property valuations were recently released. Commissioner Mark Schoenrock said, “We look at the valuations, and then we look at the levies to set our budget accordingly.”“Our citizens, all 7,200 of them in this county, they don’t want any of their services cut. People don’t want less of any of those services, so what we have been successful in doing is keeping that same level of service for all of those things. We have not decreased our level of service in any of those things,” said Schoenrock. “But when you have continually increasing costs, trying to address that, and then people don’t want to pay more taxes to pay for it.” PersonnelThe number one cost for the county is personnel. All across the country, both private and public sectors are struggling with workforce shortages that have forced many employers to increase wages and benefits.“It’s the challenge of us three as commissioners to be responsible to the people that pay the taxes in this county,” Commissioner Mark Schoenrock explained. “But also to make sure that we are setting our total compensation package for all of our county employees at a place where we can recruit and retain quality employees. And so, that’s the challenge that we face as county commissioners, is to balance those two things.” Inflation and Supply ChainIt is not just the cost of employees that is increasing. Rising inflation, coupled with ongoing supply chain disruptions, creates an uncertainty that further complicates setting a budget.At a previous meeting, commissioners discussed replacing computers for the county. Jefferson County IT Brad Eisenhauer pointed out the county computers are scheduled to be replaced approximately every four years and the current computers are out of warranty. To replace them all at once would cost $28,500 for desktop computers and $53,900 for laptops.Commissioners indicated they would preferred to stagger the purchases rather than buying them all at once but opted not to stagger the purchases due to the likelihood prices will increase.Eisenhauer said “Dell is forecasting the end of their quarter prices will go up, probably significantly.”“I think I would like to see it staggered,” said Commissioner Danielle Schwab. “But I think you’re right, with the tariffs and the uncertainty.”“I try to be very fiscally conservative.” said Schoenrock. “The better course of action is to do it now, because I think it’s going to cost our taxpayers a lot if we don’t do it now.” Inheritance TaxCommissioner Michael Dux noted, “We used to have cash reserves for the Highway Department, for ambulance, for general, and I kind of liked it that way, but our budget prepared now likes to balance everything with the inheritance fund, and that’s not wrong, but that’s the way it is, and that’s the only extra money we have, is our inheritance. I’m not we’re not here to paint something gloom and doom, but that’s reality.”Commissioners acknowledge inheritance tax is likely to disappear in the future. It is an unpopular tax and there have been several attempts to eliminate it in recent years. Commissioners have all indicated their support for reducing or eliminating inheritance tax but they want to see an alternative source of funding to replace it.Dux said, “I’ve said for years, we’re close to the levy limit. I think we’re going to probably be in fair shape this year because of the inheritance fund.“But when the valuations start going down, and that’s not too far, they’re going to go down,” said Dux. “Then we’re going to be in trouble.”

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