The Ellis County Press: Taxpayers subsidize non-profit at $75,999

Taxpayers subsidize non-profit at $75,999
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Editor on 05/29/2008 09:27:00


JOEY DAUBEN
The Ellis County Press
WAXAHACHIE - County taxpayers subsidize the Society for the Prevention for
Cruelty to Animals facility at the tune of $18,999.75 per quarter, or $75,999
annually, according to the county auditor.
Those figures are based on a maximum of 1,925 animals collected in a fiscal
year, after which the charge for additional animals would incur a $39.48 fee.
The SPCA has collected 393 animals so far this year, according to Dana White,
the SPCA director.
An ordinance enacted by county commissioners last year only applied to vicious
animals, which some members of a special county-created animal control
subcommittee have said led to the lower animal intake.
The Ellis County Sheriff's Office has two deputies allotted for animal control,
plus a line item in the annual budget includes two vehicles, salary and
health/insurance benefits.
The ECSO's figure, separate from the SPCA subsidy, is more than $300,000 per
year, according to budget documents.
The SPCA facility was constructed and paid for by private donations, according
to White. The land is also theirs, she said.
White said other entities such as cities have different agreements with her
facility, but the number of animals collected from municipalities does not go
towards the 1,925-animal figure, she said.