Which statement best describes the County Board's budget authority?

• A. It administers the school curriculum
• B. It adopts an annual budget for the county
• C. It operates the county jail
• D. It performs autopsies

Answer: (B)

Budget authority means the County Board has the power to adopt the county’s annual financial plan, setting how money will be allocated across departments and programs for the year. This is the mechanism by which policy priorities become funded services, within the rules and revenue it can raise. The board reviews proposals, holds hearings, and officially approves the budget to guide spending and fiscal policy for the year. Tasks like administering the school curriculum belong to the school board and district, operating the county jail is handled by the sheriff’s office, and autopsies are the responsibility of the medical examiner or coroner. So the statement that best describes the Board’s budget authority is that it adopts an annual budget for the county.