County Commissioner Concerned Appraisal District’s Budget Is Too Big

During lean times, is there too much fat on the El Paso Central Appraisal District’s latest budget proposal?

At least one County Commissioner seems to think so.

El Paso County Commissioner Dan Haggerty is not happy with the Central Appraisal District’s 2011-12 proposed preliminary budget, which he and other public officials received a copy of last week.

Some of the detail inside the proposal that concern Haggerty include:

-A nearly five percent increase from the overall 20-10 and 11 budget, going from about $12.1 million to more than $12.7 million this year. -The CAD has also proposed for more than a six percent increase in pay and wages for employees. -Among other smaller line items, there is one that calls for budgeting $8,500 for coffee, sugar and cream.

Haggerty was pouring over the CAD’s proposed budget on Wednesday.

“When you fight and you argue and you spend hours over manila folders at the County,” Haggerty said, “only to come in and see this sort of thing, you think, ‘Why are we working so hard at the county at saving nickels and dimes when somebody is spending a lot of money?'”

Afterward, ABC-7 spoke with Central Appraisal District Executive Director and Chief Appraiser Dinah Kilgore about it.

Kilgore defended it, pointing out that it is still preliminary and the CAD board will discuss it next month. “There is a very good explanation for every line item that we’re looking at,” Kilgore said.