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County staff say two-year budget unlikely now as departments remain understaffed
Summary
Commissioners asked whether a two-year budget cycle could save staff time; finance staff warned that uncertainty in state and federal revenues plus recent system changes mean a two-year cycle could require large supplementals and offer limited savings.
At the roundtable, at least one commissioner asked whether moving to a two-year budget cycle would reduce staff workload. A commissioner framed the question around staff time savings, saying the idea might return "0.5" of staff time saved compared with the current annual cadence. County finance staff responded that the county's high level of revenue uncertainty makes a two-year budget risky now: "Proposing a 2 year budget ... we were in a very, financial, sustained, stable environment. We're not in that place," the agency official said, adding that departments remain understaffed and that supplemental budgets would likely still be necessary.
Several commissioners emphasized the differing revenue structures of cities versus counties as a constraint on multi-year budgeting; counties depend more heavily on state and federal grants, the chair said, increasing volatility. Commissioners asked staff to continue exploring options but agreed a safe, multi-year approach would require greater revenue stability and staffing capacity than currently available.
