After spending a weekend searching for budget cuts, Douglas County commissioners still are looking at a property tax increase of more than 3 mills in 2009.

“I wish I could keep it at zero,” Commissioner Charles Jones said. “This was one of the more miserable weekends I’ve had as county commissioner. It was terrible.”

Added Commissioner Bob Johnson: “This was the first time in eight years on the County Commission that I found myself wishing that someone else was making the decisions.”

Personnel cuts might be next.

“I think we’re going to have to look at eliminating positions,” Jones said.

Commissioner Jere McElhaney said he tried to keep cuts to a minimum for basic services such as law enforcement, public works and maintenance.

No final budget decisions were made, and commissioners will take up the issue again when they start their Wednesday night meeting at 5 p.m. – 30 minutes earlier than usual.

Last week, County Administrator Craig Weinaug presented a budget proposal that called for more than a 5 mill increase just to maintain the current level of services in 2009. Increases are necessary because county revenues are down or flat and operating costs, such as fuel, are increasing. Also, federal and state funds that go to the county have been cut.

Commissioners said they wanted to keep any increase in the 2 to 3 mill range, if not less. Virtually no department or county-funded agency was saved from the paring knife, with cuts ranging from 5 percent to more than 30 percent. During Monday’s meeting, commissioners identified more than $2 million in cuts from Weinaug’s recommendations.

A mill is $1 in tax for every $1,000 of assessed valuation. A mill equals $1.1 million to the county budget.

Commissioners are still wrestling with how much, if any, economic development funds to set aside. County-funded agencies such as the Lawrence Humane Society and Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, will see service reductions.

The 2009 budget could be balanced if the more than $4 million in capital improvements – which includes road maintenance – were not funded, but it would be the wrong thing to do, Johnson said. He said it would only cause future commissions to play catch-up and force taxpayers to pay more in the long run.

“I’m not proud of what I’m asking the taxpayer to do, and I’m not proud of what I’m asking you all to do,” Johnson told department and agency leaders attending Monday’s meeting.