The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the fiscal year 2021-22 budget on September 21. The total adopted budget across all Governmental Funds was $747.8 million, a 10 percent increase from the initial recommended budget the Board passed in June. According to Chief Administrative Officer Don Ashton’s introduction, “Fiscal Year 2020-21 receipts for general discretionary revenues, including Property Tax, Sales Tax, and Transient Occupancy Tax all exceeded budget, and departments are projecting they will be able to return more savings than anticipated in the Recommended Budget”.
As a result of the increased revenue, the budget was able to allocate an additional $8.5 million in contingency for costs related to the Caldor Fire. Additionally, most department requests that were requested for the Recommended Budget but deferred for later decisions were funded. The adopted budget includes several personnel additions, subtractions, and transfers for a net increase of 5.0 full-time equivalent positions.
Separately on September 21, the Board approved a request from County Assessor Karl Weiland* to increase his staff allocation by 3.2 positions. Weiland and Assistant Assessor Danielle Yandow said the positions would address workload related to the county’s new Megabyte property tax system and implementation of Proposition 19, which expands the ability of homeowners to purchase a new home without forfeiting their property tax base.
Ashton appeared at the Taxpayers Association meeting on September 20th to provide an overview of the budget and answer questions. You can view the discussion here.
*Karl Weiland serves on the Board of Directors for the Taxpayers Association of El Dorado County
Photo credit John Albano
