The Torrance County Commission passed its annual budget Wednesday with overall revenue down $1.56 million and expenditures down $1.04 million from last year.

According to Comptroller Tracy Sedillo, the decreases are attributed to the closeout of most of the legislative appropriations and the grant programs that have ended.

The county also had a decrease in PILT, or Payment in Lieu of Tax from the federal government, gross receipts tax income and gas tax revenue, Sedillo said. To keep the county in the black, no major budget cuts were made, Sedillo said, but the county did not fund any capital outlay projects in the general fund.

"Overall, things are pretty much status quo," Sedillo said.

"There were no substantial budget cuts and all department budgets remained the same."

The county expects $10.5 million in revenue, and $12 million in expenditures in the next fiscal year. The county began with an unaudited cash balance of about $3 million.

While most of the departments are keeping above water, one county department's revenue stream is causing some concern.

Revenue is down in the road department because of the decrease in gross receipts taxes and gas tax revenues, Sedillo said.

Also adding to the drawdown is a cut in legislative appropriations. The state pulled projects when funding for capital outlay projects was removed from the state budget.

"A lot of legislative projects were lost last year when the money reverted back to the state," Sedillo said.

There was some good news, county property tax values are up, with more than 90 percent collected, according to Treasurer Dorothy Sandoval.

There were no salary increases for staff this year, County Manager Joy Ansley said, but the staff has received a collective 17 percent increase over the past four years.

"I think we should pride ourselves there weren't any salary or hour cuts," she said. "I think the county is to be commended even though we couldn't offer raises this year."