County staff outline priority‑based budgeting inventory; scoring needs more board review

County finance staff presented a priority‑based budgeting (PBB) inventory and initial scoring for programs overseen by the Planning, Resources and Development Committee and said the tool produced useful program breakdowns but the automated scores require additional board review. Finance staff described a program inventory that breaks departmental budgets into discrete services, shows personnel and non‑personnel costs and matches program revenues where applicable. The inventory covers 187 programs countywide; staff said the AI‑assisted tool generated an initial list of programs and potential options other counties have used to alter funding or revenue approaches. Department heads then adjusted descriptions and attempted to score programs on cost, mandate and scope. County staff said the initial numerical scoring did not align with operational reality for some programs; as a result the committee discussed using three narrative fields provided by department heads (cost/revenue options, the scope of any legal mandate, and a “who/how many/why/how” impact summary) to narrow the list to programs the board wants to dig into further. Staff recommended the board select a smaller set of target programs for deeper analysis rather than attempting detailed reviews of all 187 programs. Committee members asked for digital copies of the full program inventory and said they expected staff to return with a winnowed list and a method for supervisors to work together on priorities before the budget workshop. Finance said it would distribute the inventory and provide a process for the board to identify programs for more detailed review. No policy changes were adopted at the meeting; the PBB material is an informational step in the county’s ongoing budget process.