The Ada County Highway District adopted the 2009-2010 budget
at the August 26, 2009 Commission meeting, avoiding a tax increase on the
average home in Ada County while preserving the core
maintenance and traffic operations functions for the upcoming year.
The $78.7 million
spending plan
represents a seven-percent decrease compared to the budget originally adopted
for the current year. The decline reflects the continued troubled economy, which
has lowered revenues from development impact fees and gas tax revenue, and the
desire of Commissioners to not increase taxes at a time when many Ada County
residents are struggling.
To help contain costs, the District plans to continue its hiring freeze; to
require employees to take six, unpaid furlough days through March (with the
possibility of extending through the second half of the year), and to forgo
employee raises for a second year in a row.
On a positive note, ACHD will undertake $11.6 million in federally
funded, economic stimulus projects, most of which will involve resurfacing of
old roads. Stimulus dollars are not counted as part of ACHD’s budget, but the
projects will be overseen by District staff and will increase the amount of road
improvements made, despite the tight budget.
The budget also features $2.3 million in new spending on pedestrian and
Safe Routes to School projects funded by the enhanced Ada County Vehicle
Registration Fee approved by voters in November.
Property taxes represent the largest revenue source for ACHD, followed by state
gas taxes, the registration fee and impact fees. For 2009-2010, ACHD proposes
the same amount of property tax as the previous year -- $31.7 million. That
means that the median home in Ada County would pay the same $85 to ACHD in 2010
as it did in the prior year if the proposed budget is adopted.
Because of the overall revenue decrease, a 13 percent drop in the capital budget
will occur, which translates into fewer construction projects compared to recent
years. Major projects moving ahead include:
-
Completion of the East ParkCenter Bridge, a new river crossing connecting ParkCenter
Boulevard to Warm Springs Avenue -- $6.3 million.
-
Widening of
Deer Flat Road, State Highway 69 to Ten Mile Road, from two to three lanes
-- $690,000.
-
Widening of
Franklin Road, Touchmark to Five Mile, from two lanes to five lanes with
curbs, gutters and sidewalks -- $4.8 million.
-
Widening of
Ten Mile, Franklin to Cherry Lane, from two lanes to five lanes with curbs,
gutters, sidewalks and bike lanes -- $8 million.
-
Fifteen
projects to increase safety for pedestrians and to provide Safe Routes to
School, funded by the vehicle registration fees -- $2.3 million.
ACHD's fiscal year begins in October and runs through
the end of September 2010.
Fiscal 2009-2010 Budget
(full document, large file ~ 17.3 megs)
ACHD's Budget by Section
For questions regarding the ACHD Budget, please call the Administration Department
at 387-6120.