The community got its first look at Spokane County’s 2022 budget Tuesday.
Revenues for the general fund, which is what the county uses to cover most of the services the public interacts with, are estimated to be higher than last year, about $221 million.
Gary Petrovich, Spokane County’s budget officer, said the county has only finalized its revenue forecast, and is still working on what expenses in 2022 will look like.
He says the pandemic will likely impact both calculations. Supply chain issues are anticipated to continue into 2022, and could impact spending in Spokane County. He says he expects about $70 million in sales tax for 2021, and is estimating the county will generate about $67.5 million in 2022.
He says American Rescue Plan funds could also potentially be used to cover some capital costs that general fund money might normally be used for.
According to budget documents, the county is overall predicting stable to moderate growth next year.
County leaders will discuss expenses at the next budget hearing on October 26.
