Kossuth County Facing Difficult Budget Issues Including Substantial Library Budget Cuts

The Kossuth County Board of Supervisors are having to make some key decisions regarding their budget for the next fiscal year. One of the cuts involves the county libraries where a 69% cut in funding is being proposed. Kossuth County Auditor Tammy Eden explained the reasons behind the cuts.

The libraries in Kossuth County are, for the most part, not able to sustain those kinds of cuts in their budget. The Fenton Library has already threatened on a Facebook post that the library may have to close. Eden explained that the county is not facing a fiscal crisis, but they are having to make difficult decisions on funding.

All this follows a need by Kossuth County to make changes in the amount of money that they took in.

Officials are blaming increases in prices and operation for the rate hikes. Elected officials and employees will not see a pay raise this year as the board took those recommendations off the table when determining the new fiscal year budget.