County staff warns restoring services will lower general fund reserve below policy target

County budget staff walked the committee through models showing that putting back nearly $2.7 million in department services and supplies requests would reduce the general fund ending balance to about 7.15% — under the commission’s target of 8% and well below staff’s preferred 10% cushion. Staff said salaries and benefits remained the largest ongoing cost, while services and supplies had been cut to balance the tentative budget.