The Shadow
LOW MOOR — Alleghany County is returning $87,549 to the state as part of state budget reductions.
The money is part of cuts the state is making to local governments as a means of dealing with a projected $882 million budget shortfall.
Similar cuts were made by the state in 2009.
“Here we go with the state again. You know the drill,” Alleghany County Administrator John Strutner told the board of supervisors Tuesday night.
“This $87,549 we are returning is just for the current year. You are going to get hit again next year and from all indications, the dollar amount is going to be bigger next year unless something changes,” Strutner said.
Earlier this year, Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the General Assembly decided to enact measures to close the state’s projected $882 million budget shortfall.
The measures include taking $705 million from the state’s rainy day fund over the next two years. The fund contains approximately $940 million.
The state is also imposing $192 million in cuts to state agencies, $90 million for colleges and universities and $60 million to local governments over the next two years.
The money being returned by Alleghany County this year covers state cuts to voting registrar compensation, and State Compensation Board reductions for court services, jail operations, the commissioner of the revenue’s office, the commonwealth’s attorney’s office, court clerk offices and the treasurer’s office.
Strutner said the state is struggling financially due to overzealous revenue projections and increased spending.
Strutner said cutbacks in federal spending are also affecting the state economy.
The Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads areas are largely dependant on federal spending.
