TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -- Pima County departments are facing a bigger financial hit than anticipated because of dwindling dollars coming from the Legislature, the possibility of raises for county workers and the chance that county officials may want to further trim spending in the coming fiscal year.

Two percent cuts were already ordered in the earlier tentative budget. That would be on top of 2.5 percent cuts for all county department's administrative budgets.

Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry said it's the first time in the 15 years that he's managed the county that he's seen a budget cut like that.

The Legislature continues to wrangle over a state budget, but Huckelberry said he expects that the county may see at least a $5 million hit when one is finally approved.

Most of the 5 percent cut would impact the county's low-income health care program, he said.

The Pima County Board of Supervisors are scheduled to meet June 17 to adopt a final budget, which can be lower in dollars than the $1.46 billion tentative one but not higher.

The tentative budget is about $22 million less than the current fiscal year budget.

The tentative budget adopted 3-2 last month contains a primary property tax rate of about $3.39 per $100 assessed valuation, and a secondary tax rate of about $1.27 per $100 value.

It would cut county property taxes on a $200,000 home by about $80.

An alternative budget prepared by supervisors Ray Carroll and Ann Day, and rejected by the board's Democratic majority, would have cut the property tax rate by another 11 cents.

Huckelberry's tentative budget recommendation contained no raises for the county's 7,000 employees.

Board Chairman Richard Elias said Friday that he asked Huckelberry and his staff to find a way to provide some raises, at least for employees on the lower end of the pay scale.

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Information from: Tucson Citizen, http://www.tucsoncitizen.com

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