There is hereby created in each county a county budget commission consisting of the county auditor, the county treasurer, and the prosecuting attorney. Upon petition filed with the board of elections, signed by the number of electors of the county equal in amount to three per cent of the total number of votes cast for governor at the most recent election therefor, there shall be submitted to the electors of the county at the next general election occurring not sooner than ninety days after the filing of the petition, the question "Shall the county budget commission consist of two additional members to be elected from the county?" Provision shall be made on the ballot for the election from the county at large of two additional members of the county budget commission who shall be electors of the county if a majority of the electors voting on the question shall have voted in the affirmative. In such counties, where the electors have voted in the affirmative, the county budget commission shall consist of such two elected members in addition to the county auditor, the county treasurer and the prosecuting attorney. Such members, who shall not hold any other public office, shall serve for a term of four years. The commission shall meet at the office of the county auditor in each county on the first Monday in February and on the first Monday in August, annually, and shall complete its work on or before the first day of September, annually, unless for good cause the tax commissioner extends the time for completing the work. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum, provided that no action of the commission shall be valid unless agreed to by a majority of the members of the commission. The auditor shall be the secretary of the commission and shall keep a full and accurate record of all proceedings. The auditor shall appoint such messengers and clerks as the commission deems necessary, and the budget commissioners shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses. The elected members of the commission shall also receive twenty dollars for each day in attendance at commission meetings and in discharge of official duties. Any vacancy among such elected members shall be filled by the presiding judge of the court of common pleas. In adjusting the rates of taxation and fixing the amount of taxes to be levied each year, the commissioners shall be governed by the amount of the taxable property shown on the auditor's tax list for the current year; provided that if the auditor's tax list has not been completed, the auditor shall estimate, as nearly as practicable, the amount of the taxable property for such year, and such officers shall be governed by such estimate.

In any county in which two members of the commission are elected, upon petition filed with the board of elections, signed by the number of electors of the county equal in amount to three per cent of the votes cast for governor at the most recent election therefor, there shall be submitted to the electors of the county at the next general election occurring not sooner than ninety days after the filing of the petition, the question "Shall the elected members be eliminated from the county budget commission?" If the majority of the electors voting thereon shall have voted in the affirmative, the county budget commission shall consist solely of the county auditor, the county treasurer, and the prosecuting attorney.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.29, HB 48, §1, eff. 7/2/2010.

Effective Date: 08-22-1995 .