White Pine County ends up $850,000 in red

Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005 | 9:20 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The state has confiscated all credit cards of officials in White Pine County and is examining the possibility of raising fees to get the county out of the red.

Chuck Chinnock, director of the state Taxation Department, said Monday the county ended up $850,000 "in the hole" last fiscal year on a budget of $6.5 million.

Chinnock told the Nevada Tax Commission it will be several years before the county will be able to dig itself out of its financial problems. The state Taxation Department took over operation of the county government in an effort to put it back in the black.

Any expenditure by the county of more than $250 must be approved by the state officials overseeing the operation. He said the state officials have "collected the credit cards" of county officials.

The department is examining the building, business and franchise fees to determine if they should be raised in the county, he said. It is looking at the collection of child support payments.

He said a $250,000 loan may be needed in December. Department heads in White Pine County are being asked to look at performance indicators for workers. State officials, Chinnock said are examining a golf course that is operated by the county for possible changes.

He told the tax commission that county officials are cooperating with the state to solve the problem.