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Commissioners examine
options to reduce deficit

Current cuts would slash
$18.8 million of $23.4 million

by CHRIS GRAY
Observer Staff Writer

      A collection of cuts have been proposed to handle a $23.4 million deficit for the county's 2011 budget.
       The outline of cuts the Board of Commissioners recently approved includes privatizing the Animal Shelter, reducing the subsidy to the Martha T. Berry Medical Care Facility and raising service fees to reduce the 2011 deficit.
       Dist. 14 County Commissioner Brian Brdak said the expense of health care as well as declining property values are the main contributions to the county's $23.4 million deficit for 2011. The total decrease in property values from 2007 to 2012 is estimated at $35,022,106.
       Brdak said so far the county has eliminated $48.8 million in programs, and the union has taken $20 million in concessions to fight off deficits. Since 2006, the county has eliminated 223 jobs.
       "Each budget year becomes more difficult to find places for budget reductions," he said. "This is the fourth year of having to make severe cuts."
       He said the board is aware of what services are mandated, such as the sheriff's office, the prosecutor's office and the courts, but are trying to find a way of making budgets "revenue neutral."
       "We're trying to avoid the across-the-board cuts when possible," he said.
       Dist. 13 Commissioner Don Brown said he would push for the need to reform the county's pension plan and insurance programs, though most of those have to be negotiated with the unions when their contracts are up.
       "Without those changes in those benefit plans, we're going to be forced to lay off employees to reduce the budget deficits," he said.
       Some of the cuts that are being looked into include $500,000 for privatizing the Animal Shelter, reducing the subsidy to the Martha T. Berry Medical Care Facility for a savings of $1.4 million and raising service fees for $500,000.
       The cuts also call for "dock days," which are unpaid days of work for county employees for a savings of $3.4 million. Another subsidy cut of $1.4 million to the district courts in New Baltimore and Romeo has also been proposed.
       Commissioners are also asking the Sheriff's Office to cut $500,000 from overtime costs.
       "I don't want to be cutting (the sheriff's office) any more than need be because we've barely got any road patrols, I'd hate to see any more reductions that impact that," said Brown.
       Brown said the cuts do include the removal of a 5 percent pay increase calculation from the pension fund for 2010 and 2011 for a savings of $4 million.
       The problem, however, is that the list of cuts only equates to $18.8 million of the deficit.
       Brown called the list bittersweet, saying most of the cuts are items he has supported in the past, but knows more will be needed to curtail the entire deficit.
       "It's a good start, but it's only a start," he said. "We've got to see how much of that $23.4 million deficit we can reduce, but there's bound to be layoffs <how many is the question."
       Brown said taxes could be raised to support certain services, but believes the county shouldn't approach residents for more money.
       "Until the economy turns around and we start going in an upward trend, county government has to take a cut and the people need the money in their pocket," he said.