Commissioners weigh delinquency assumptions, motor‑vehicle fees and move $817,032 in partner items to behavioral health fund

Commissioners shifted from CFD 1 deliberations to county revenue choices, focusing on delinquency rate assumptions, motor‑vehicle transaction fees and how to fund onetime requests. Staff explained the revenue sheet and flagged three main levers: motor‑vehicle revenue, delinquency assumption and transfers to the behavioral health fund.

Staff member summarized the delinquency discussion: "Our 3 year average on our delinquency is 1%. This budget has been placed at 2%. If I recommend 1% and we hit 1.25, you fire me," underscoring staff concern that too‑aggressive a cut in the assumption would increase budget risk. Several commissioners said they were willing to consider 1.5% as a compromise that would free some dollars while staying closer to staff advice.

On motor‑vehicle fees, commissioners debated keeping the recently adopted $5 per transaction level versus increasing it (some favored incremental increases of $6–$7; some raised the long‑term risk of a $10 level if a sunset were later extended). The prevailing view in the session was to leave the fee at $5 for now and revisit if needed.

Staff proposed moving four community partner projects from the general fund into the behavioral health fund to achieve better program continuity. The chair identified the four items together as totaling $817,032. Staff said they had already reduced a proposed transfer into the behavioral health fund by about $950,000 to balance other changes; if the commission moved the four items, staff calculated a further reduction in the net transfer and agreed to provide updated totals.

Commissioners asked staff for updated, reconciled spreadsheets and a written note summarizing new transfer totals and any mill impacts; staff agreed to deliver updated figures later the same day to guide further deliberations next week.