Craig Daily Press / ‘We’ll make it work’

CNCC board adjusts 2009 budget in response to tax revenue estimates

July 2, 2008

• Colorado Northwestern Community College trimmed about $200,000 from 2009 budget estimates to make up for less-than-expected tax revenue estimates.

• Revisions to the budget draft will affect the Emergency Medical Services classes, funds reserved for first-year programs and construction of a proposed career technical building.

• Based on current assessed property values, CNCC could receive about $74,000 less in tax revenue than it did last year.

• Tax revenue will remain an estimated number until August.

• An audit on personal property used by oil and gas producers operating in the county could increase tax revenues.

• The CNCC board can later decide to amend the budget if it receives more tax revenue than currently estimated.

Colorado Northwestern Community College board members shaved about $200,000 from their 2009 budget.

The board adopted the budget at its monthly meeting Monday night. The document governs the property tax revenue allotted to the college for use in the next fiscal cycle, which began Tuesday.

Reductions will affect the college’s Emergency Medical Services classes, its funds reserved for new programs and the construction of a new career technical building. Less-than-anticipated property tax revenue prompted the change, college officials said.

One board member was surprised by tax estimates.

“I was under the impression reading the papers all along that they were actually coming out better on county taxes,” board treasurer Karol Bullen said. “It’s not coming out to be so.”

An earlier estimate from the Moffat County Assessor’s Office indicated the college could receive about $1.3 million in property taxes for the next budget cycle.

However, as of Monday night, estimated tax revenue for the college was $1,267,228, or about $100,000 less than previous projections.

As of this week, assessed property values in the county were about $25 million less than last year, Moffat County Assessor Suzanne Brinks said.

According to that figure, tax revenues for the college may drop about $74,000 from 2007, Brinks said.

However, the projection isn’t final. Assessed property values could change before preliminary tax values are available in August.

Given some scenarios, assessed property values could drop further.

“We are still in the process of valuing property,” Brinks said. “We’re in the middle of protest period for personal property, which means it could even go down more.”

However, Brinks said, another factor could bring in more tax dollars.

An audit conducted by Oklahoma-based Visual Lease Services could result in more tax revenue from personal property used by oil and gas producers operating in county limits.

CNCC’s board isn’t counting on receiving added tax dollars — yet.

To make up for the difference, CNCC President John Boyd put an option before the board that included a one-year deferment on $100,000 in construction and planning costs for a proposed career technical building.

His suggestion also included reducing by half the projected dollar amount supporting first-year programs, from $120,000 to $60,000.

A transfer of $40,000 from the board’s budget to the college’s general fund also was included in the option. The funds are earmarked for the college’s EMS classes.

Board members took Boyd’s suggestion and adopted the proposed 2009 budget changes.

Including funds from other sources, including a carry over from the college’s fund balance, the board’s budgeted revenue for next year is set at $1,575,732.

Still, the board can decide to later amend the budget, putting $100,000 back into career technical center construction if tax revenues are higher than currently projected, Boyd said.

Such a change would require state approval, he said.

Boyd was optimistic that the college could make its dollars stretch under the proposed budget.

“We’ll make it work,” he said.

Bridget Manley can be reached at 875-1795 or bmanley@craigdailypress.com.