By Richard Meek

Contributing Writer

LAPLACE – An amended budget showing a more than $3.6 million loss in the general fund was adopted by the St. John the Baptist Parish Council on Tuesday night.

The final figures showed the parish with revenues in the general fund, which is essentially the parish’s checkbook, of $4.31 million and expenses of $7.974 million, leaving the parish with a shortfall of $3.655 million. The budget originally adopted in December predicted expenses of $7.7 million.

Overall, the parish finished 2012 with a balance of $2.123 million in the general fund, an increase of the 2011 ending balance of $1.966 million. The difference was made up in transfers into the budget from numerous sources.

Parish President Natalie Robottom said some of the higher than expected expenses were caused by Hurricane Isaac as well as others being “understated” in the original budget.

“We are not concerned about this slight increase in expenditures when compared to the entire budget when most of it was storm-related,” Robottom said in an email to the L’Observateur.

Look for a breakdown of the budget and more from Robottom in Saturday’s L’Observateur.