Despite dire warnings of state budget cuts, slumping sales-tax receipts and dwindling property valuations, Douglas County commissioners are breathing easier as they prepare to tackle next year’s spending plans.

They know they won’t have to increase property taxes to finance the recommended $44.06 million county budget for 2003.

“I’m proud of the county,” said Jere McElhaney, commission chairman. “We’re going to be able to hold our own, and we’re leading by example: We do not want to increase taxes, period.”

The recommended budget, released Thursday, calls for a 0.8 percent cut in the property-tax rate. The owner of a $150,000 home would pay $477.17 in county property taxes next year, down $3.85.

But because residential properties, on average, had valuation increases of about 6 percent, that means a $150,000 home this year likely would be worth $159,000 next year. Using the proposed tax rate, such a valuation would trigger a county tax bill next year of $505.80, up $24.78, or 5.2 percent.

But no matter how the tax picture is viewed, it’s certainly better than expected, considering the budget cuts flowing out of the Kansas Statehouse and other gloomy reports of economic downturns, said Craig Weinaug, county administrator.

“It could’ve been a lot worse,” Weinaug said.

Early budget projections had revenues slumping so much that the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office would have proposed cutting six employees to make ends meet, Weinaug said.

But with expectations proving more optimistic, Weinaug’s proposed budget calls for no reductions in staff. It actually includes a few modest increases in payroll, including the county’s share of salaries for six new dispatchers in the county’s emergency communications center.

Other additions will be considered in the coming weeks: hiring another three firefighter/paramedics, plus another city-county planner.

But such additions would come at a price. Commissioners can add only $186,802 to their proposed budget before the county’s property-tax rate would rise to this year’s level a line all three commissioners already have said they do not wish to cross.

And more requests are pending.

Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center wants $360,000 to finance continuation of a counseling program that helps troubled students get through difficult times. The Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department has asked for $63,500 to retain a case-management program for teen mothers, and Headquarters Inc. wants $10,000 to defray losses in revenue.

The commission’s desire to hold the line on taxes will make it difficult to squeeze in other needs, Commissioner Bob Johnson said.

“While there are pressures and there will be the temptation to provide funding to meet needs, we won’t be able to do that without increasing the mill levy (tax rate),” Johnson said.