The Oklahoma State Capital

The numbers just kept coming. As Logan County Chairman Mark Sharpton introduced the county's next budget, during the commissioners' September 30th meeting, he described the new spending all the way out to the 10th digit: $14,377,187.68.

"That's a bunch," declared District 2 Commissioner Charlie Meadows.

Notwithstanding Meadows' exclamation, without questions and without discussion, it took commissioners just 45 seconds to approve the new spending plan.

Record Revenues Drive Budget Expansion

The massive FY2025 budget will allow the county to indulge in a significant increase in spending over the previous year's budget of $12,779,660.90.

The increase was fueled by a robust rise in ad valorem tax collections, which surpassed $5 million last year, exceeding expectations. County budget documents attribute the surge to ongoing residential and commercial growth, much of which is occurring in the southern part of the county. This growth has recently pushed assessed property valuations past half a billion dollars for the first time. These revenues are channeled to numerous government entities including the county, health department, fire departments, career tech, and local school districts.

A review of the newly adopted budget suggests that the increases in revenue are not expected to subside. County budget officials are predicting a continued spike in ad valorem revenues and built the new budget on an assumption of using 103.82% of current collection levels.

In addition to the ad valorem increases, the county's use tax revenues significantly outperformed expectations. In all, during the last fiscal year, the county took in nearly a million dollars more in use tax collections than anticipated.

The document next goes before the County Excise Board where it should receive final approval during that Board's early October meeting.

County Takes in Large Grants

In other action, the commissioners, who met for approximately 30 minutes, signed off on a $300,000 grant program. It will pay a $3,500 stipend to certain employees of the Sheriff's office. Commissioners also accepted a $10,000 grant from Plains Pipeline, which will be used to upgrade radios in the county's emergency office.

As they approved the meeting's consent docket, Meadows, Sharpton, and County Clerk Troy Cole discussed whether the commissioners had ever found a meeting item or consent docket item that they "didn't like." Sharpton struggled to find an example, reflecting the commission's tendency to approve most items that are put before the board.

In August, the commissioners failed to take action on one item: a proposal by Meadows to dramatically increase local sales tax rates. Sharpton and District 3 Commissioner Monty Piercy didn't sign on to Meadows' proposal, which failed without an official vote due to no other commissioner being willing to enter a motion.

The commissioners' next scheduled meeting is set for October 7th.