Door County Government is beginning the budgeting process for 2021, with good news out of the gate. In the spring, guidance being given to counties was to plan for an eight to 12 percent decline in sales tax revenue compared to a year ago. 2020 is actually up compared to a record 2019. That is due to strength in collections before COVID-19 forced economic challenges, though. By May, taxes were coming in behind the same month in 2019, which continued throughout the summer. Typically, a majority of sales tax is recognized in the second half of the year. Given those trends, 2020 receipts may end up down compared to the prior 12 months. 

Administrator Ken Pabich says that considering the strength of 2019, a small decline would be seen as a win. The CARES Act will supplement Door County’s budget by providing $460,000 in stimulus funding, roughly ten percent of annual sales tax revenue. Pabich says that will not affect next year’s budget. The baseline assumption for 2021 is that there will be no further outside assistance.

Budgeting work is currently being done at the committee level. The Board of Supervisors will not cast a vote on the overall funding level for the county government until November.