This letter was sent to the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors regarding the County Budget for fiscal year 2023/2024.
“I am a retired Hospital Accountant and Budget Analyst. I have been reviewing the proposed budget for FY 2023/2024 and I have several questions, the answers to which should help provide some much needed transparency into this budget. Additionally, I have some comments based on my many years as a Budget Analyst and Hospital Accountant and Budget Manager.
Questions: 1. When does the public have access to quarterly financial statements?
2. What are ‘Cost Plan’ interfund transfers and how are the amounts determined?
3. What are ‘Department Allotment’ and how are the amounts determined?
Comments: 1. Capital Improvement items should be identified.
2. Fixed Assets should be identified.
3. Miscellaneous high ticket items should be identified. Transparency is a major responsibility of any public entity supported by citizen tax dollars, be they Federal, State, County, or City. The Board of Supervisors should be able to transparently support their need for tax revenue amounts.
The public needs to know what it is paying for and every person working for the County, from the Board of Supervisors down, needs to remember, they are EMPLOYED by the Public/Citizens of Del Norte County.
PJ Estlund
Crescent City