Warren County commissioners have proposed a budget which projects total spending of $15,441,497. In 2008, the adopted county budget called for a record total of $17,826,249 in spending. Anticipated revenue is also down significantly from last year. The budget calls for nearly $10.6 million in revenue in 2009 compared to the 2008 estimate of just over $11.9 million. The official budget will be approved following a public hearing Monday, Jan. 26, at 11:30 a.m., in the commissioners' office. "This budget is a realistic one, based on the economy we have in front of us," said Presiding Commissioner Arden Engelage. "I think we've put together a pretty good budget for this year," said Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner. "But we do have to watch how we spend our money." Northern District Commissioner Dan Hampson credited the county department heads with being an integral part of streamlining the budget. "They were all very helpful and understanding," said Hampson. "What we've created is a budget which will allow for good services without breaking the bank." The reduction of nearly $2.4 million in spending can be traced to several factors, according to commissioners. The No. 1 reason was the decline in revenue last year, as opposed to projections, and a continued decline forecast for 2009. In 2008, for example, county officials projected more than $4.1 million in overall sales tax revenue. But the county actually collected only a little more than $3.8 million. This year the county estimates it will take in $3.75 million in sales tax income. "We tried to be conservative in our estimates," said County Treasurer Gene Cornell. "It's always better to underestimate what you'll take in, because you can't spend money you don't have. "This figure could turn out to be optimistic," Cornell added. "We certainly have the presence of uncertainty now which was not a factor before." Last year's early retirement of the bonds used to finance construction of the Warren County Courthouse also contributed to the drop in projected spending, county officials said. For the first time in several years, there are no across-the-board pay raises included in the 2009 budget for county employees. "We always try to give employees something," said Engelage. "But there was simply no way we could do that this year." The commissioners also set the proposed tax rates for the general revenue fund and the road and bridge fund. They propose a general revenue rate of 12.03 cents per $100 of assessed valuation and a rate of 14.22 cents for the road and bridge fund. Last year the rates were set at 10.48 cents for the general revenue fund and 16.81 cents for the road and bridge fund. The county has budgeted $116,000 for the purchase of five new law enforcement vehicles and another possible replacement vehicle. The Capital Improvement Trust Fund has a budget of $4,225,000 in expenditures. That figure includes costs for remodeling a room in the courthouse to house additional jail prisoners, roof repair/replacement for the existing courthouse and preliminary expenses for the construction of a new administration building to house non-court related offices. In the estimated $2.2 million road and bridge budget, major expenses include a new road grader and a new dump truck, the design of a new bridge on Powerline Road, design and construction of a new bridge on Bernheimer Road and an asphalt overlay for a segment of Stracks Church Road. The Federal Grant Fund includes $617,924 for construction of a new wastewater treatment system and expansion of the water storage facility at the DACA Machine and Tool Co. in Dutzow. That fund also calls for the administration, design and construction of four low water bridges, three located on Dry Fork Road and one on County Farm Road. Those bridges will all be built by the county's road department.