The Watauga County commission did not have to adopt the 2010-2011 budget in their regular first-Monday meeting yesterday, but after all the departmental work, committee meetings, and hearings, yielding a $40.7 million-dollar document that was ready for presentation, Chairman Jim Deal asked if the commissioners were ready, and with little comment, the document was adopted.

The county's tax rate remains the same las last year, and school are funded at the same rate as the 2009-2010 budget.  With some decrease in county revenues, the budget is about a 10% reduction from the 2009-2010 budget.