Tuesday, August 23, 2011 10:26 pm

Cannon County will continue without a new budget for the current fiscal year for at least the next few weeks.

The Cannon County Commission first approved an increase of 15 cents to the property tax rate at a special meeting Tuesday night, then rescinded that action.

Instead, the commissioners decided to send the budget back to its Budget Committee with the instruction to come up with one that will balance by keeping the property tax rate at the current $2.32 on $100 of assessed property.

That means that not only will several departments not receive a funding increase, but all departments will be asked to cut their current spending.

By not approving an increase in the property tax rate, the commission pleased many people in the packed courtroom of the courthouse who were opposed to a hike. The debate became so heated that one person was removed from the room and ordered off the courthouse property by the sheriff.

On the other hand the commissioners' decision to not approve additional spending, and to make cuts to existing budgets, undoubtedly displeased the many county employees who attended the meeting. Some members of the commission itself either work for the county or have family members who do.

The Budget Committee is tentatively scheduled to meet again a week from Thursday  (Sept. 1) to take up the matter of reducing proposed spending.