Richland County to plan spending 2 years at a time instead of yearly

Richland County government plans to switch to a two-year budget cycle, as opposed to planning spending one year at a time, starting next July.

County leaders say the change will make spending more efficient and allow County Council to focus on long-term needs and planning.

The change also will allow county staff to invest more time into assessing programs, spotting trends and controlling costs, the county says.

“A biennium budget is a great method for long-term goal setting and making sure we give considerable thought about the future needs of a growing community,” interim county administrator Gerald Seals said in a news release.

Greenville County has operated on a two-year budget cycle since the 1990s under the direction of Seals, who was the county administrator at the time.

The county’s financial year begins July 1.

This story was originally published November 5, 2016 at 11:25 AM.