Next year's preliminary budget for Mesa County was proposed at the County Commissioner's meeting Monday morning.

Officials say Mesa County is fiscally sound despite national economic woes. County Administrator Jon Peacock says the energy boom on the Western Slope is helping shield Mesa County from some of the economic downturns seen nationwide. But, Peacock says the budget was still built with the roller coaster economy in mind.

Peacock says that this is only a preliminary budget and the official budget will not be presented until Mid-December. Peacock says, "This is also a budget that recognizes that as a state, as a nation, we're in uncertain financial times and even though our community continues to grow this is a very conservative budget."

The overall projected budget for 2009 is $177,600,637 a 4.7% increase over the 2008 adopted budget.

Overall county revenues are projected to grow 7.7% from the 2008 adopted budget. Revenues for Mesa County are created through sales & use tax, property tax, severance tax including mineral leasing and energy impact revenues, specific ownership tax, payment in lieu of taxes or PILT, and interest. All revenues are expected to increase except for interest which is expected to decline 37%.

Sales & Use Tax: +2.6%
Property Tax: +5.8%
Severance Tax: +52.3%
Mineral Leasing: +57.6%
Energy Impact: +$4 million
Specific Ownership: +13%
PILT: +0.5%
Interest: -37%

The 2009 proposed budget will be allocated to five different departments:
32% - Well Planned & Developed Communities
26% - Public Safety
19% - Healthy & Successful Citizens
14% - Well Managed Public Resources
9% - Economic Vitality