FONDA — Lawmakers in Montgomery County are facing a $3.8 million spending increase at the start of budget development for the 2009 year.

At the same time, department heads collectively are projecting a loss of more than $250,000 in revenue.

Before any adjustments by county supervisors, the preliminary budget would require an increase in the countywide tax levy of 12 to 13 percent, County Treasurer Shawn Bowerman said today.

Bowerman said the county started this year with a $14.2 million fund balance, half of which would be needed to eliminate a tax hike.

"To bring this to zero on a countywide average, it would take a total of $7 million of fund balance, based on department requests," Bowerman said.

Bowerman said he will meet with department heads before devising a tentative budget which will be sent to the county Board of Supervisor's Finance Committee for more work. Minden Supervisor Thomas Quackenbush, chairman of the committee, said he hasn't analyzed the preliminary figures but said the general idea for the committee is to present a budget to the full board with no tax increase.