A sneak peek at the proposed 2024 Grand Forks County budget shows the spending plan could include a 6.74 mill increase next year – the largest tax bump since 2014.
The $29.35 million dollar general fund budget will be discussed by the county commission on August 1st. During an Administrative Services meeting this week Finance Director Deb Nelson says salaries and new hires play a big role in the budget process.
One commission member questioned the budget for the Grand Forks County Correctional Center which lists revenues at $1.28 million and expenses of $8.08 million dollars. Jail Administrator Bret Burkholder says jails aren’t built to make money. “There’s not a single inmate in there that we invite to the facility or we bring to the facility. Everyone that’s in that building is the result of law enforcement.”
Burkholder says projections put 60,000 of the 70,000 bed dates in 2023 being occupied by Grand Forks County inmates. “It is a no frills facility. There is nothing we are providing that we really aren’t required to by law.”
Nelson says as it stands right now the budget will cost the average owner of a $230,000 dollar home — facing a five-percent valuation increase — another $120 dollars a year on the county portion of the bill.
No budget action was taken at this week’s meeting. After August first the commission can lower the budget – but not increase spending.
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