Butler County residents won't be digging deeper into their pockets next year. The 2010 proposed budget of $177 million does not include a property tax hike.

County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, board chairman, said after Wednesday's meeting reducing the county's pension fund contribution and housing state inmates helped stave off a tax hike in 2010.

"Without those two things, we would have raised taxes," he said.

The county retirement board last week took advantage of a new state law by using a different formula to calculate the contribution into the pension fund.

That move saved the county a projected $1.4 million.

As the county still must maintain a surplus in the fund, there will be no impact to retirees' pension checks.

The county is working on a contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections to bring state inmates into the South Washington Street prison.

The county proposes a daily rate of $60 per state inmate.

County officials are confident the state will sign an agreement because of a surplus of inmates.

The county estimates a minimum $500,000 boost from bringing in state inmates in mid-2010.

"It could be a lot more than that," Pinkerton said.

Although the 2010 budget is nearly $8.4 million lower than this year's $186 million, the decrease doesn't affect the tax rate, which stays at 23.6 mills.

A portion of the total amount, 3.9 mills, is dedicated to debt service.

Bill O'Donnell, chief county clerk, said at the commissioners meeting the overall budget decrease is due to the county spending down the last of money borrowed to build the new prison.

Of the original $50 million amount, which was used mainly for the prison, there is less than $1 million remaining.

The 2010 budget covers 740 full-time employees, 101 part-timers and 43 seasonal workers.

The county's biggest operational expense is the prison, with $9.1 million budgeted for 2010.

The prison falls under the category receiving the largest amount of general fund money, public safety at 24 percent.

The next highest category is judicial at 21 percent.

O'Donnell pointed out the number of criminal cases continues to rise, making those areas grow.

A majority of the county's revenue remains property tax at 73 percent.

"We really rely on real estate taxes," O'Donnell said.

County officials discussed how layoffs were avoided this year and 2010 despite operating under an economic crunch.

However, the county did reduce the number of deputy sheriffs. Four were cut earlier this year.

Three more will be cut through attrition. Once employees retire, they won't be replaced.

The commissioners are set to adopt the 2010 budget at the Dec. 30 meeting, which starts at 10 a.m. in the government center public meeting room.

County Contributions

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Each year, Butler County contributes money to nonprofit organizations. For the 2010 county budget, which was made public Wednesday, the county plans to give a total of more than $5.7 million to these 16 groups:

• $4.9 million to Butler County Community College

• $240,000 to the Federated Library System

• $154,939 to the Agricultural Extension

• $150,000 to Butler County Farmland Preservation

• $150,000 the Butler County Community Development Corporation

• $80,000 to the Butler County Airport Authority

• $15,000 to VOICe

• $13,500 to the Flood Control Authority

• $10,000 to the Butler County Historical Society

• $10,000 to the Butler County Fire Chiefs Association

• $2,500 to the Unionville Volunteer Fire Company, which is the only department with a scuba dive rescue team

• $2,500 to the Butler County Fire Police Association

• $2,000 to the Children's Center

• $1,500 to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard

• $1,000 to the Safety Council

• $1,000 to the CB Rangers