By CHRIS MEYERS
Staff writer

     As state officials take aim at public school funding, local governments seem to have been spared the brunt of any fallout.
     With the most recent revenue forecast for the state showing it will likely be bringing in $1.8 billion less through July 2011 than previously thought, local clerk-treasurers and the county auditor do not feel their budgets will be threatened.
     “We make most our money from utilities, so we should be OK,” said Mitch Winger, clerk-treasurer for South Whitley.
     Likewise in Columbia City, clerk-treasurer Rosie Coyle said the state has not made any mention of cuts to the city’s budget as a way to help with revenue shortfalls.
     For Coyle and county auditor Linda Gerig, there are other shortfall issues that have their attention.
     House Bill 1001, which places caps on property taxes, will likely cause the biggest loss for Columbia City and other local towns in coming years when the full extent of the caps are in place.
     “When they do that, we’ll just buckle down,” said Gerri Johnson, clerk-treasurer for Churubusco.
     With a high unemployment rate, officials also aren’t holding their breath for the usual amount of income tax they get every year.
     “The income tax just isn’t going to be there,” Gerig said.
     To help offset losses to tax-supported funds, Churubusco has begun to use various utility accounts to pay for the needs of that utility in recent years.
     “It’s just like a normal checkbook. You have to monitor what comes in and what goes out,” Johnson said.
     As for 2010  budgets, the Indiana State Board of Accounts has given preliminary approval to the county’s, Columbia City’s, South Whitley’s and Churubusco’s, although official approval still remains.
     For Columbia City, the budget was approved as presented. Winger said South Whitley’s will have some “very slight” changes, but nothing which will affect operations.
     Gerig said the county’s budget was also approved, with a few small reductions.
     Churubusco received notice, however, that it will need to cut about $160,000 from its budget next year before it is officially approved.

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it