By BRIAN LEAHY
of The Gazette
Portage County ranks in the middle of the pack when it comes to county government per capita spending in six major categories by 71 of the state's 72 counties, according to a Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance report, "Comparing County Expenditures."
Per capita spending in Portage County tracked in the report increased from $457.13 in 1995 to $582.80 in 1999, 40th among all counties in 1999.
The six expenditure categories tracked in the WTA study were general government, highway maintenance and construction, judicial, public safety and corrections, health and human services and extracurricular services.
Spending in those areas represent about 90 percent of county general fund spending across the state. The study looked at total expenditures, no matter what the revenue sources were. Compensating revenue sources to counties, such as state and federal funds, were not netted out.
From 1995 to 1999, total Portage County spending in those categories increased 31.9 percent, from $29.8 million to $39.3 million. This percentage increase ranks 23rd highest among Wisconsin's 72 counties. Across the state, county spending in the six categories grew 23.6 percent during the same period, or 5.4 percent annually, to $2.97 billion in 1999.
The study grouped and compared counties based on their populations - under 20,000, 20,000 to 50,000 and 50,000 to 500,000. With a population of 67,378, Portage County fell into the 50,000 to 500,000 category. Milwaukee County, with a population of 956,688, was included in the report only for reference purposes.
Spending on health and human services dominated spending in all Wisconsin counties over the past five years, but highway and law enforcement costs rose more rapidly, according to the WTA study.
Portage County spent above the median on county highway maintenance and construction, public safety and corrections and extracurricular services per capita expenditures. Portage County spent below the median on general government, judicial and health and human services per capita expenditures. The median per capita expenditure is the amount at which half the counties in a group spend more and half spend less. It is not an "average" amount that counties spend.
Still reviewing the just-released report, Portage County Finance Director Bo DeDeker said he'll take the information to the county Finance Committee so it can compare results to other counties and see what services the should or shouldn't continue.
"We have to get more and more into benchmarking," DeDeker said.
General government expenditures by Portage County increased 19.7 percent, from $38.06 in 1995 to $45.56 per capita in 1999. Sauk County spent the most per capita at $71.01, while Ozaukee County spent the least at $32.89. The median expenditure for the 25 comparable counties in the 50,000 to 500,000 residents group was $51 per person. General government expenditures include legislative, legal, general and financial administration, general buildings and plant, and property records and control expenses.
Highway maintenance and construction expenditures increased 62.5 percent, from $71.78 to $116.62 per capita, the most spent by a comparable county in 1999. The median expenditure was $54. Dane County spent the least at $21.27 per capita. The category included the net cost of county highway administration, maintenance and construction financed from both general and proprietary funds.
Judicial expenditures increased 9.1 percent, from $14.96 to $16.32 per capita. The median expenditure was $19 per capita. Jefferson County spent the most at $27.32, while Wood County spent the least at $14.63 per capita. Judicial expenditures include money spent on courts, law libraries, public defenders and coroners.
Public safety and corrections expenditures increased 24.9 percent, from $85.70 to $107 per capita. The median expenditure was $97. Walworth County had the highest per capita spending at $179.37, while Waukesha County spent the least at $65.25 per capita. Spending on law enforcement, ambulance, inspection and emergency communications also includes expenditures for the operation of jails and other correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities and payments to other government units for housing prisoners.
As was the case in most other counties, the largest amount of Portage County's spending on a per capita basis was directed towards health and human services. Health and human services expenditures increased 21.1 percent, from $215 to $260.41 per capita. The median expenditure was $280. Dane County spent the most at $393.61 per capita, while Waukesha County spent the least at $166.64 per capita. The category included spending for general fund public and mental health services, income maintenance, social services, aging services, veterans services and other services.
Extracurricular services expenditures increased 16.7 percent, from $31.63 to $36.90 per capita. The median was $21. Walworth County spent the most at $108.71 per capita, while Ozaukee County spent the least at $8.95 per capita. The category included general fund financing of libraries, museums, culture, education, parks and recreational programs and facilities.
The WTA report cautions that variations could occur because there is no state-required uniform accounting system, which could cause differences in a county's annual financial report filed with the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Some services are also not provided by all counties. Large percentage increases or decreases could be due to a transfer of service between a county and another unit of govern