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Cowlitz County staff report May shortfall in general fund, cite property tax timing and landfill postclosure transfer
Summary
At an agenda review meeting, county finance staff said the general fund is about $4.2 million behind revenues through May, citing typical midyear timing for property tax receipts and a large planned transfer into landfill postclosure reserves; staff said they will continue monthly monitoring and may propose a budget amendment later in the year.
At a Monday agenda review, Susie, finance manager for Cowlitz County, told commissioners the county’s general fund had received $24.8 million in revenue through May and recorded about $29.0 million in expenses, leaving the fund approximately $4.2 million behind at this point in the fiscal year. "We are currently outpacing our revenue," Susie said.
The discrepancy is driven largely by timing: Susie and other staff said the county typically receives an additional property-tax settlement in October, and the county expects roughly $10 million to $11 million in property-tax receipts then. Susie said the county already projected a year‑end deficit in its adopted budget and that the midyear gap is a regular seasonal pattern rather than an unexpected shortfall.
Staff reviewed several other funds and…
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