Cortez, however, did not walk away from the expense empty-handed, Moss said.

Over the last year, $571,000 in improvement projects went into Parque de Vida, while $1.04 million was spent on the new service center.

According the audit, the largest revenue-builder for Cortez over the last four years has been taxes and assessments.

The total amount collected through sales tax has increased by 8 percent since 1998, Moss said.

In 1999, taxes accounted for nearly $5 million of the total $7.7 million revenue dollars.

Moss said that the only debt that Cortez incurred for 1999 came from the special district in the amount of $62,000.

"$45,000 of that debt came from the bond to pay off the golf pro shop which was built in 1986 and the other $17,000 was the balance of the (police departments) new dispatch equipment," Moss said.

Moss added that the remainder of the smaller funds, including the water fund, the refuse fund, the airport fund, and the internal service fund, are all maintaining themselves nicely.

"Right now the water fund is strong, but there are always plant needs that have to be met," said Moss.

"The refuse fund had a net income of $24,000 last year and is holding its own and the airport fund is heavily subsidized through the Federal Aviation Administration," she said.

The city also contributes $35,000 out of its general fund each year to the airport for operating expenses.

Moss said that in 1993 the city went to a carry over program.

"This means that each department is basically operating as its own business," she said. "The departments can only grow a certain percent each year, but they can put aside left over money for future expenses."

Moss said that this type of program has not created fiscal competition between the departments in Cortez, as one might expect.