Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Overview topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Campbell County board weighs budget strategies, endorses advertising 7% hotel tax
Summary
At an annual presentation, county staff proposed four budget strategies that include a 5% pay raise, seven new positions and higher employer health contributions; the board signaled consensus to advertise a 7% transient-occupancy tax and to prioritize CIP funding using higher interest projections.
Frank Rogers, who led the meeting’s budget presentation, told the Campbell County Board of Supervisors that the proposed fiscal 2027 budget shows roughly $106 million in projected revenue versus a $104 million expenditure plan and that the county faces a combined school and CIP gap of about $5.4 million.
“We do have a budget need,” Rogers said. He laid out four strategies that all include a 5% pay increase, seven requested positions and a 10% rise in the employer share of health insurance; the options differ in how they allocate a $2 million resource among schools, the CIP and tax reductions. Rogers recommended the fourth strategy, which leans on a conservative increase in projected interest earnings to free about $1.77 million for the CIP.
The board debated whether to advertise raising the transient-occupancy (hotel) tax to 6.5% or 7%. Rogers explained each percentage point of the levy would bring in about $200,000 and described the legal and public‑engagement steps required to advertise and ultimately adopt a new rate. After discussion about regional comparability and messaging, the board signaled consensus to advertise a 7% transient-occupancy tax and proceed with the public-engagement process.
Board members pressed staff on revenue assumptions and the risks of relying on interest earnings. Several supervisors said they prefer to fund schools and critical capital projects rather than rush a permanent tax reduction. The board also indicated support for the package elements Rogers had included (raises, positions, and volunteer-support increases) while asking staff to provide follow-up analyses for tax-rate rounding and specific CIP tradeoffs.
Next steps: staff will advertise the transient-occupancy rate for public hearing, produce requested fiscal analyses and return with clean budget tables and any formula corrections before the public hearing and adoption process.
