By DAVE HAMRICK
dhamrick@thecitizennews.com

After poring over budget figures for fiscal year 2001 in a series of workshops, Fayette County commissioners may still be looking at a tax increase of about 1.5 mills this year.

“We haven't cut very much out of this thing,” said Commissioner Greg Dunn during Monday's workshop meeting.

Commissioners will take one more shot at whittling down the $57 million budget in a workshop at 4:30 p.m. today with plans to adopt the spending plan during their regular business meeting at 7 p.m. tomorrow.

After cutting two investigators from the Sheriff's Department's request for eight additional people, commissioners tentatively approved County Manager Billy Beckett's recommended budgets for all the remaining departments Monday.

Still to be discussed are overall salary increases and revenue projections, particularly revenue from fees the county charges for inspections and other services.

In addition to a 2.7 percent cost of living increase and merit pay increases already agreed upon, a study committee is recommending additional salary increases based on a survey of comparable salaries in the surrounding area.

Merit increases approved earlier are different from those originally factored into the budget, said county finance director Emory McHugh. “That impacts everything,” he said, adding that he is working to come up with new budget numbers based on the changes.

What the commissioners decide concerning the study committee's recommendations also will affect the bottom line, he said.

The proposed budget includes departmental requests for 45 more people. Beckett is recommending 29 and commissioners have approved all of those except for the two sheriff's investigators. The county now has about 580 authorized positions.