Nueces County budget workshop: officials warn road fund will shrink as motor-vehicle sales-tax receipts shift to general fund

NUECES COUNTY — County commissioners and staff on Tuesday examined the Road and Bridge and Engineering budgets and were told the road fund is projected to decline by $566,066 by the end of the fiscal year, driven in part by a phased change in how the state routes motor-vehicle sales-tax collection fees.

At a budget workshop, finance staff distributed estimated actuals for 2011–12 and projected revenues for 2012–13. Peggy, a county finance staff member, said the state has been ‘‘phasing in’’ a change that lets the motor-vehicle sales-tax collection fee be deposited into the county general fund rather than directly into the road fund. ‘‘This is something we have no control over,’’ Peggy said, explaining the shift reduces an item that historically flowed into road funding and instead shows up as transfers from the general fund.

The change creates timing and accounting…