County commissioners vote to enact budget

PARIS — The Oxford County Commission on December 12 voted to enact the 2013 budget of $5.9 million approved by a budget panel this past month.

Commissioners had decided to take $360,000 from the Oxford Casino reserve fund to lessen the tax burden and help purchase 10 new cruisers for the Oxford County Sheriff's Office. Oxford County receives 1 percent of the gross amount of all slots and table revenue from the gambling establishment.

Tax assessments for 2013 will likely be the same or less than in 2012.

The commission was set to discuss the Unorganized Territories budget, which was due to the state in November, but the budget is still being written, County Administrator Scott Cole said December 12. He said with the overall budget and the Unorganized Territories budget due at around the same time, the main budget gets priority. The state will consider the Unorganized Territories budget in February.

There was a public hearing for the Unorganized Territories budget December 12, but no one attended.