By KRWG News
Las Cruces – A fee increase, a sales tax hike and potential cuts to county departments may be on the horizon as Dona Ana County officials wrestle with a budget crisis in the coming year.
County commissioners in April heard they were facing a nearly $14 million shortfall in 2010-2011, the fiscal year that starts July 1. After a month of additional budget wrangling, county staff last week shrunk the figure to $5.6 million.
One proposal, backed by some commissioners, is a sales tax increase. Funding would go to the county jail and possibly the city-county 911 call center.
County commissioners were expected to hash out the details of the preliminary budget in a public meeting Tuesday.
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Information from: Las Cruces Sun-News, http://www.lcsun-news.com
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.