Cochise County health director: grants, modest organic growth account for recent budget increases; supervisors ask for deeper review

Cochise County Health Director Barb Lang told the Board of Supervisors during the Aug. 14 work session in Bisbee that the health departmentbudget has increased about $1.2 million since fiscal year 2021, and that nearly half of the departmentfunding comes from grants rather than county general funds.

Lang said the five-year picture shows a mix of grant funding related to COVID and recurring "organic" cost drivers such as market salary adjustments and fleet costs. "There's a pretty equal split between grants and general funds. It's nearly 50%," Lang said. She asked the board to separate organic increases the department does not control from budget items the department can influence.

The discussion mattered to supervisors because members had previously asked how the health department's growth compared with inflation and what portion was driven by COVID-era grants. Chairman Antinori said the board requested more information at the July budget meeting; several supervisors expressed concern about keeping property taxes low and asked how department spending connects to county priorities such as economic development.

Lang broke down several specifics. She said the department's total increase since FY2021 is about $1,200,000 and that, after removing market and fleet-driven costs the county sets centrally, the department's organic growth over five years amounts to roughly a 9% increase. "When you look at 2021 to 2026, you do see slight increases over time that are really attributed to inflation," Lang said. She added the department currently has…