Saline County Assessor Jessica Goodman is alleging that the Saline County Commission has not appropriated the Assessor’s 2023 budgeted funds of $80,000.

An open letter from the State Tax Commission claims that the commission is not in compliance with the Maintenance Plan, signed by the Assessor, Missouri State Tax Commission, and the Saline County Commission. The letter states that the State Tax Commission “will hold all remaining funds ($13,118.21) for fiscal year 2024 until the general revenue deposit is made into the assessment fund.”

County Assessors are required to submit a maintenance plan every assessment cycle and an approved budget annually. The maintenance plans are signed by the county assessor and county commissioners and approved and signed by the State Tax Commission. The maintenance plan details the county’s specific assessment plans and the county approved budget. The 2022-2023 Saline County Maintenance and 2023 approved budget provides that $80,000 of general revenue funds are to be deposited into the assessment fund.

The State Tax Commission says it must not authorize payment of state reimbursement funds until after the county has deposited the general revenue funds in the assessment fund in the manner specified in the maintenance plan.

The Saline County Commission did not have a statement regarding this, but did say the budget issue will be resolved at the next commission meeting, which is scheduled for Wednesday, November 8, 2023.