The Burleigh County commission had hoped to find an additional $163,000 to remove from the 2006 budget, keeping it at the same dollar amount as the year before, but all they came up with was $3,500.

Commissioners had reduced the budget by 3.37 mills, but with increased property values, the amount they levy will actually bring in the additional $163,000. At their last meeting commissioners had talked about going back to the departments they watch over to ask for additional cuts.

"I did find the time to visit with my departments and asked them if they could find any places, if they were asked to reduce a little bit, and come back with suggestions," said Commissioner Marlan "Hawk" Haakenson. "Most came back with some suggestions, but most said they didn't want to reduce."

Haakenson did find the Senior Center Board, though it had voted to go along with the budget submitted, could reduce its Bismarck-Mandan Transit fund.

Commissioner Scott Johnson said Social Services, with a budget of $4.5 million, could squeeze a little more.

"Yes we did look for possible budget cuts, and though it is really tight, we found a couple of things we could cut," Social Service director Shari Doe said. "We recently learned half the foster parent training fund will be paid by the state so we could cut $3,500 there. There is a line item for administrative hearings which is more of an insurance. We could remove that and knock off about $9,000. We went through capital outlay and we could probably pull out another $2,000 by buying one less computer and one less file cabinet. That would be another $11,000."

Asked by commission chairman Jerry Woodcox if that was her recommendation, Doe admitted it wasn't. Johnson made the motion to reduce the Social Services by the $3,500 it wouldn't need. The motion passed.

Haakenson offered to make a motion to cut $500 from the Senior Center Board, but commissioner Curt Schonert convinced him not to.

The commission passed the 2006 budget, which will mean county residents will see about a $5 increase on a $130,000 home in the county portion of their taxes.

Auditor Kevin Thompson will receive the final budgets of the other taxing jurisdictions during the first week in October. When he receives the certified property values from the State Board of Equalization, he will prepare the tax statements, which are expected to go out Dec. 10.