Somerset County Commissioners approved a fiscal 2015 budget slightly below the current year’s spending plan due to a continued decline in property assessments.

As reported by the Salisbury Daily Times:

Revenues for fiscal year 2015 total $36.2 million, which is $708,000 under current-year spending. The operating budget approved by commissioners Tuesday slates $11.2 million for education, the county’s single largest expense category. Public safety, accounting for 19.1 percent of the budget, or $6.9 million, is the next largest, followed by general government, slated for 18.5 percent.

The commissioners also approved a separate $3.75 million County Roads Department budget, which is close to $900,000 less than current spending.

The article provides the following budget highlights:

Revenue
• $1 million from landfill tipping fees
• $45,000 in boat slip fees
• $55,000 in room tax
• $5.2 million state disparity grant

Expenditures
• Sheriff salaries, $1.3 million
• Pauper burials, $1,000
• Community colleges, $345,300
• Board of Education capital expenses, $1.3 million
• Library, $464,775