At their regular work session today, Beaver County Commissioners got a report from budget director Ricardo Luckow concerning financial matters. Luckow reported last year’s property tax increase brought in 7.2 million dollars in additional revenue. Also, the county gained 2.1 million dollars in savings from refinancing bonds. With 71 retirements last year, the county work force is younger and as a result, health care costs dropped 20 percent.

Luckow also reported the county has 16 hundred square feet of vacant office space still available at the human services building in Beaver Falls. The space has been vacant for many months. Luckow recommends getting a private business of non profit group as a new tenant. The county is going to handle the real estate work, saving on fees if a professional firm was hired to handle the leasing.