Haywood County is considering increasing the contingency funds in its budget because the state is introducing too many moving pieces into theirs. Schools are still waiting to hear how much will be cut, and the county does not know how much “hole-plugging” will be demanded of them. The state has proposed cuts in its health and human services expenditures. (The numbers in the Smoky Mountain News don’t add up.) Haywood County’s demand for services was described as “busting at the seams,” by County Manager Marty Stamey. In addition, the state has not yet confirmed which four of its prisons would be closing.
In Haywood County, sales tax redistributions are low, and property taxes stayed flat after the recent revaluation. Stamey expected a preliminary run of the county’s budget this year would be $250,000 out of balance. He said that is good compared to numbers from other counties. A property tax increase is not yet out of the question.
