Letter: County has funds available for ‘other projects’

Monday, Dec. 6, 1999 | 9:11 a.m.

Well, I've been looking into the county's finances lately, and I've discovered a "gold mine." It's called the "other capital projects" in the "County Capital Projects, Fund 437." There's $111,432,372 earmarked in that budget category for FY 1999-2000 (see page 244 of the current budget), the single largest item in Fund 437.

What exactly is all that money going to be used for? I recently posed that question to an employee in the finance department, who told me it's a category typically used for various "unallocated" departmental capital needs. I see. So who does the actual "allocations" for that fund? I was told county staff and the county commissioners. When are the funds "allocated?" I was told usually by April of each fiscal year. I asked where the money came from for these "other capital projects?" It's transferred from the general fund.

I think I've got the picture. This really is a $100 million "capital projects slush fund" under the direct control of county employees and the county commissioners. Apparently, they spend it as they see fit. Perfect! There's no reason, therefore, that this "slush" fund can't be used for construction of the wetlands park. Please join me in submitting that request to the commissioners.

LARRY J. PAULSON