COEUR d'ALENE - The Kootenai County commissioners are debating several of the clerk's budget proposals, like across-the-board raises and halving funding to the University of Idaho Extension Office.

After Clerk Cliff Hayes presented a preliminary budget on Monday, the commissioners agreed that changes could be in store after they crunched more numbers and gathered opinions from department heads.

"We have these things we need to work on and get figured out," said Commissioner Todd Tondee.

Commissioner Dan Green wanted to sniff out any excess in the proposed 2011-12 budget of $73,956,420, a $1.8 million increase from the current fiscal year.

The boost is almost completely due to proposed increases for the sheriff's department, including an additional $1.2 million for personnel and equipment, and another half a million in wage increases.

The commissioners will look into those numbers and other department budgets further, Green said.

"To come out with a budget that's more, I have to be able to justify it to the public," he said.

The officials questioned if they would adopt the 2.8 percent wage increase Hayes proposed for all non-elected personnel, about 750 employees.

Department heads could distribute those raises as they saw fit, Hayes said, so some employees might see more or less.

"Hopefully they will be doled out on a merit basis, but that's not required," Hayes said.

Green was reluctant to give every employee a raise.

Many have received pay increases because of promotions and job shifting, he pointed out.

"Are those raises? I think so," Green said. "The target is that the cost of milk and eggs and gas is going up, and they need more money. But they're getting more money."

Hayes' preliminary budget also included roughly $800,000 in budget cuts, most from personnel reductions announced earlier in the year.

These savings would be canceled out, Green noted, by an equal increase to the indigent fund.

"I do think there are other departments that could use that money. To be hit with that indigent fund is disappointing," he said, reminding that the fund to help low-income folks with medical costs is mandated.

The commissioners weighed Hayes' recommendation to slash U of I Extension Office funding from $161,000 to $81,000.

"It's important we do mandated services, but providing quality of life services are just as important," Tondee said, lauding the extension's programs like a master gardening class.

Green added that if the Extension Office has to drop 4-H, that would cause ticket sales to plummet at the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo.

"I can't imagine what the fair would be like without 4-H," he said.

They discussed give the Extension Office $130,000, as previously considered, by using fund balance dollars.

They also asked extension educator Jim Wilson to consider raising program fees to become more self sufficient.

The commissioners might also use fund balances to provide $50,000 this year to the fair and rodeo, instead of Hayes' proposed $30,000.

"I don't think there's a question that there's a fair amount of money we have to play with here," Green said of the fund balances.

How much is appropriate to use, he added, still has to be decided.

The county has tucked away about $28 million in fund balances, said County Finance Director David McDowell.

There is risk in using the balances to provide services, though, because it is one-time funding, he mentioned after the meeting.

Hayes' budget also proposed nine new personnel, and no increase to property taxes outside of new growth.

The commissioners have until Aug. 19 to make changes to the proposed budget.

A final budget hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Sept. 6 at the administration building.

Maybe, Green said, the commissioners could cut property taxes by shuffling fund balance dollars.

Hayes said he would be reluctant to bring in fewer tax dollars, when so many departments have made serious budget sacrifices.

"There are a lot of things people need and they're getting by without, because they were hoping to get a raise," he said.