Mercer County taxpayers won't have to dig quite so deep into their pockets in the face of a proposed tax hike next year, but dig they will for the third consecutive year.

Commissioners on Thursday introduced a proposed $59.3 million county budget for 2004. The general fund portion of that is $22.6 million and primarily covers county salaries, programs and other expenses that are funded with local taxes.

The remainder of the budget is made up of state and federal pass-through money that pays for human services and other programs not funded with local taxes. Among the big-ticket expenditures in those areas are: $17.2 million for Mental Health/Mental Retardation, $9.3 million for Children & Youth, $2.2 million for the 2001 capital bond sinking fund, $1.7 million for bridges, $1.5 million for the 911 Center and $1.4 million for Domestic Relations.

The tentative general fund budget calls for a $3 million increase in spending, or 15.3 percent more than this year's total of $19.6 million. To help pay for higher spending, commissioners are proposing a 1.5-mill, or 8.7 percent, increase in local real estate taxes. Taxes would climb from 17.25 to 18.75 mills.

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