In a 4-1 vote Monday, El Paso County county commissioners passed the 2009 $232 million budget.

Commissioners voted Monday to transfer $3 million from roads and bridges to the county general fund. This means no more cuts will be needed, welcomed news for a lot of county workers.

"Transferring the money looked like the most efficient way to go at this stage of the game," said Chairman Dennis Hisey with El Paso County Commissioners.

The alternative would have been cuts at the health department, sheriff's department, district attorney and the county coroner while all other El Paso County Departments would be cut by 5 percent.

The county got sales tax collection numbers for October and they were not as high as projected. When the county's finance director realized her '09 projection was too high, she lowered that number by $2.7 million- creating fear that more cuts may be necessary.

The board says they will revisit the issue in March 2009 when they get the 2008 sales tax report and decide if the tax increase has brought in the required funds.

The Board of County Commissioners were required by state law to set the property tax mill levy for 2009 and submit a balanced budget to the State by close of business on December 15, 2008.