Orange County Commissioners haven’t officially voted on a new budget, but have agreed the county will adopt one with a $3 million deficit. The county will have only $300,000 left in its fund balance, a name for savings, at the end of the current budget year. That is not enough to cover the deficit created by the expenses running more than the projected income. Glenn Earle reports that County Judge Carl Thibodeaux recovered from the flu and attended Thursday’s budget workshop meeting. He said commissioners will have to adopt the deficit budget and make adjustments through the year. The new budget year starts Oct. 1. The budget now stands at $45.2 million. Thibodeaux said the county receives about $27 million from property taxes and the costs of payroll and benefits runs to $30 million. He described the county as ‘top heavy on payroll and benefits.’ Commissioners don’t plan any layoffs but Thibodeaux said the county will have to reduce the workforce through attrition. He said employees have been talking and complaining. ‘They need to just work and keep their opinions to themselves,’ he said. Commissioners Court will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday. The court is supposed to approve the final budget on Monday.
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