After Hearing Detailed Public Schools Budget Request, Supervisors Delve Into Financial Variables for Coming Year

Near the end of the lengthy work session presentation of the Public Schools Fiscal Year-2026 budget County Administrator Ed Daley pointed out to the Warren County Board of Supervisors that currently there were only two funding options on the table for Public School (3:27:35 video mark). Those were either a requested 13% increase or flat funding from the current Fiscal Year-2025 budget. Daley suggested that putting more options on percentage increases would be advisable as the supervisors approached their next work session agenda that evening.

That work session included several presentations on potential fiscal impacts of last year’s Real Estate Reassessment on a resetting of the tax rate for the coming fiscal year. The county board’s decision in those regards will have a huge impact on its ability to meet requested funding levels, not only for public schools, but for all outside agency contractors, as well as departmental budgets.

County Administrator Ed Daley, at podium with Commissioner of the Revenue Sherry Sours, presents supporting documents on Sours’ presentation on last year’s Real Estate Reassessment and its implications on resetting the tax rate with revenue shortfalls predicted for the coming Fiscal Year budget. Royal Examiner Photos Roger Bianchini

The board seemed to agree that more options as all aspects of the coming fiscal year budget are considered, with final decisions pending, was advisable. A board majority has made it fairly clear from comments at previous meetings that it is generally opposed to tax hikes regardless of projected revenue shortfalls in the coming year’s County budget.

See that discussion beginning at the above-referenced 3:27:35 video mark, as well as coming work session presentations by contractor representatives and County staff, beginning at the 3:30:04 video mark.

First up was County Finance Director Alisa Scott, introducing Ted Cole and Ben Wilson of Davenport Public Finance, to give an overview of the County’s Debt Service and its potential impacts on future financial ratings.

Davenport Public Finance reps Ted Cole, at podium, flanked to left by Ben Wilson, annalyzed the county government’s Debt Service and future options in reducing it.

The agenda for the Warren County Board of Supervisors second work session of Tuesday, March 25, was as follows:

Work Session (scheduled for 6 p.m., actually began about 8:20 p.m.)

1. Presentation – Davenport Public Finance on Warren County Debt Service (begins 3:30:38 video mark)
2. Reassessment Update – The Commissioner of Revenue – Sherry Sours, Commissioner of the Revenue (called at 4:16:24 video mark, begins slightly later with introduction of below Cowan Services representative hooked in remotely with sound issues)
3. Presentation – Real Estate Assessor – The Commissioner of Revenue & Cowan Services LLC (4:19:26 video mark)
4. Discussion – Tax Rate Calculation – The Commissioner of Revenue (4:41:30 video mark sliding into G discussion)
5. Discussion – Personal Property Tax Valuations – The Commissioner of Revenue (ending at 5:00:55 video mark)
6. Text Amendment & Conditional Use Permits Discussion – Z2024-12-01 Training Facility & Social Hall, CUP2024-12-06 Training Facility, CUP2024-12-07 Social Hall, & CUP2024-12-08 Private Use Camping – Little Boy Ventures, LLC (Rick Rumbarger) – Chase Lenz staff (5:00:58 video mark)
7. Discussion: Volunteer F&R Fiscal Policy – Vicky Cook – Alisa Scott, Finance Director (5:36:10 video mark)
8. Rescue Cancer Protections – Gear Washers and Drying Cabinets – Assistant F&R Chief Gerry Maiatico (5:51:45 video mark)
9. Adjournment (5:55:10 video mark, between 10:30 and 11 p.m.)

Click here to watch the March 25, 2025, Board of Supervisors Special Meeting & Work Session.